Stalking is a CRIME!

In Louisiana, the state statute defines stalking as “the willful, malicious, and repeated following or harassing of another person with the intent to place the person in fear of death or bodily injury.”

Some signs of stalking include the following:

• receiving repeated phone calls, including hang-ups, or threatening or harassing mail,
• personal property is being vandalized,
• being followed, or
• someone is contacting family or friends for information.

Stalking can include many other annoying, scary, or harmful acts. Stalking is NOT the victim’s fault. Take safety precautions.

Some methods of staying aware include the following:

• If aware of being followed, go to the nearest police station or busy place (such as a shopping mail or grocery store).
• Always park and walk in well lilted places.Keep doors and windows closed and locked even if at home.
• Vary schedule and routes daily.
• Keep telephone number unlisted and remove the name from the reverse telephone directories.
• Remove name from the tenant list if living in an apartment building.
• Tear up or shred mail before throwing it away.
• Don’t leave messages stating location or personal information online blogs such as Facebook or myspace.
• Look inside the car and under it before getting in.

These are some examples of methods of how to be alert and stay aware.

Some preventive actions include the following:

• Contact Metro Centers for Community Advocacyvvvv who offer a referral to a trained advocate who can provide more information on legal rights and options.
• If there is a protective order, carry it all the time.
• Document any incident that might be considered stalking; include dates, times, location, witnesses, recording, and any harassing calls or hang-ups. (This documentation might be useful to demonstrate a pattern of behavior.)
• If there is a pending charge of the stalking, notify the police and the assistant district attorney of any additional incidents.