This month marks the 22nd annual National Stalking Awareness Month, which occurs every January.

According to the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition Facebook page, stalking is defined as a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear and/or suffer substantial emotional distress.

Some of the most common ways that stalking is perpetrated are unwanted phone calls, emails or texts; showing up at a person’s home or place of employment unexpectedly and uninvited; and following the victim or sending gifts or letters that are not wanted.

While some things may not seem serious to outsiders, they can be disturbing and scary to the person being stalked.

In our digital age, stalking may be easier than it was years ago. In fact, 80% of stalking victims are stalked using technology.

“The majority of stalkers use (or misuse) technology to monitor, watch, contact, control, threaten, sabotage, isolate and frighten victims, as well as to damage victims’ credibility or reputation. Cyberstalking can be just as terrifying and harmful as in-person stalking,” according to the SPARC – Stalking Prevention, Awareness and Resource Center’s Facebook page.

This is an issue that needs to be taken seriously. Stalking often co-occurs with violence. According to Fight Against Domestic Violence, 76% of intimate partner homicides are preceded by stalking. One in three women and one in six men experience stalking at some point in their lifetime.

So, what if you feel like you are being stalked? Here are some tips for victims from stalkingawareness.org.

• Trust your instincts.
• Call the police, especially if you are in imminent danger. Tell the police why you think you are being stalked.
• Let friends and family members know about your concerns.
• Keep a record or log of each contact with the stalker.
• Save any evidence, such as notes or messages.
• Connect with a local victim service provider who can help you create a safety plan.

Stalking isn’t just a problem for adults. Some estimates show that teens are being stalked at higher rates than adults. Teens should also be educated about what stalking is, the dangers of stalking and where they can go for help.

Local help is available beyond local police departments. Some of these resources include The Refuge Utah (therefugeutah.org), the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (udvc.org) and Fight Against Domestic Violence (fadv.org). For more information about stalking, visit stalkingawareness.org.