Someone watching?
Hit the ESC key at any time to hide this site. Privacy Tips
Call 1-844-762-8483
7NATIVE

Or Text 24/7

If you send a text, you will immediately receive a response notification that you will be texted back from a secondary number.
Standard text rates may apply.
Your information will be kept anonymous and confidential.

Stalking Awareness Month Aims To Educate

Posted

January is Stalking Awareness Month

January is Stalking Awareness Month launched in 2004 by the National Center for Victims of Crime to promote recognition of stalking as a crime. Since then, stalking has been recognized as a crime and precursor to other crimes such as human trafficking, rape and ultimately, murder.

“Stalking is motivated by perpetrators to gain or maintain control over their victims,” said Lori Jump, chief executive officer for StrongHearts Native Helpline. “Historically, the interest was to control people, land and resources. Today, at least one in four stalking incidents involve a current or previous personal relationship.”

Violence Against Native American Women and Men
According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Justice, more than four in five Native women (84.3 percent) have experienced violence in their lifetime while intimate partner violence manifests alarming rates of other types of violence, including:

  • Stalking (48.8 percent)
  • Physical violence (55.5 percent)
  • Sexual violence (56.1 percent)
  • Emotional Abuse (66.4 percent)

The rate of violence perpetrated by non-Natives is astonishing with 97 percent of female victims and 90 percent of male victims reporting violence at the hands of interracial (non-Native) intimate partners, while fewer Native victims: 35 percent of female victims and 33 percent of male victims experienced intraracial (Native) intimate partner violence (IPV).

Stalking, sexual assault, physical violence, and psychological aggression are the top four categories of violence perpetrated against Native people wherein almost 3 million Native women and men have been victims of violence and just over 1.2 million Native women and men have been stalked.

What is Stalking?
Stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others. It includes unwanted attention, harassment and/or threats and multiple forms of abuse. Ultimately, stalking is an attempt to manipulate, convince or coerce victims into compliance.

Red flags include:

  • Repeated calls, text messages, e-mails, or posts via social media
  • The perpetrator shows up at the victim’s known whereabouts (e.g., near home, work, school, etc)
  • Threatening to hurt the victim and/or people they care about.

Cyberstalking is a form of digital abuse where abusers hurt, threaten or intimidate their victim using phones, computers or social media. Methods include:
using technology to track, find and/or disseminate personal information about the victim.
sending threatening or insulting messages.
using the victims devices to create clone profiles and/or send malicious content.

Victim And Perpetrator Demographics
According to the Stalking, Prevention, Awareness Resource Center, (SPARC):

  • People aged 18-24 experience the highest rate of stalking victimization.
  • More than twice as many victims are stalked with technology than without.
  • 2 in 3 of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week using more than one method of contact.
  • Weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in 1 out of 5 cases
  • Intimate partner stalkers are the most likely stalkers to approach, threaten, and harm their victims.
  • More than 80% of survivors reported the person stalking them was known to them in some way.
  • Strangers are reported as the perpetrator of stalking in less than 25% of stalking cases.

Legal note: It should be noted that although stalking is against the law in every state, the crime of stalking is defined differently in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on tribal and federal lands.

StrongHearts Can Help
If you or someone you know is being hurt by a stalker or intimate partner, learn more about safety planning and read: Creating A Separation Plan and Preparedness Kit. For more information, StrongHearts Native Helpline can be reached via call or text 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) or chat online at strongheartshelpline.org. Advocates are available 24/7.

SOURCE

André B. Rosay, "Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men," (June 1, 2016) https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/violence-against-american-indian-and-alaska-native-women-and-men. Accessed December 21, 2022
Stalkingawareness.org “Stalking Fact Sheet.” https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SPARC_StalkngFactSheet_2018_FINAL.pdf. Accessed December 22, 2022
Safe Horizon, “Stalking Statistics and Facts.” https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/stalking-statistics-facts/#definition/. Accessed December 23, 2022
StrongHearts Native Helpline, “Creating A Separation Plan and Preparedness Kit.” Accessed December 27, 2022

Resources Resources

More from the press room....

Triumph Over Trauma Justice Is Restored
StrongHearts Native Helpline Commends the Supreme Court's Decision to Maintain Gun Control Law Further Protecting Domestic Violence Victims and Survivors
PRIDE FOR TWO-SPIRIT AND LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
StrongHearts Advocacy Critical In Indian Country
StrongHearts Celebrates Seven Years of Advocacy
Vital Funding Increases Culturally Appropriate Support and Advocacy
Love Languages For December
StrongHearts Receives $100,000 Giving Tuesday Grant from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
StrongHearts Honors Native American Heritage Month
StrongHearts Announces New Positions
StrongHearts Native Helpline: Six Years of Evolution
ICWA Upheld By SCOTUS Despite Claims of Reverse Discrimination
StrongHearts Supports Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act
StrongHearts Embraces Blue Campaign Partnership
StrongHearts Raises Elder Abuse Awareness
StrongHearts Celebrates Six Year Anniversary
StrongHearts Responds To Gun Violence
StrongHearts Stands With The Black Community
Women's Right To Safety Denied
January Is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Roe v. Wade: Our Work Is Not Done
StrongHearts Native Helpline Issues DVAM Statement
Impacts of the Roe v. Wade Decision
Two Donations Support StrongHearts Native Helpline
Showing Up in Support of Indigenous 2S+/LGBTQ+ Survivors for Pride Month
StrongHearts Native Helpline Publishes State Reports on Intimate Partner Violence Impacting Native Americans and Alaska Natives
StrongHearts Native Helpline Honors Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives on May 5
Supporting Indigenous Survivors and Advocates for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
StrongHearts Native Helpline Statement on the Violence Against Women Act of 2022
StrongHearts Native Helpline Observes Five-Year Anniversary with more than 20,000 Contacts
StrongHearts Native Helpline Welcomes Three Tribal Advocacy Programs
February Is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Joint Statement: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Stalking Awareness Month Statement
StrongHearts Native Helpline Announces New Board of Directors
Native American Heritage Month 2021 Statement
StrongHearts Native Helpline Becomes Independent Organization
Joint Indigenous Organizations Statement About the Gabby Petito Case
Indigenous Advocacy Organizations Issue Joint Statement in Support of Survivors of Violence for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
StrongHearts Native Helpline Statement for 2021 Domestic Violence Awareness Month
StrongHearts Native Helpline Releases One Year Sexual Violence Advocacy Report
StrongHearts Native Helpline Launches Project in Michigan
Assistant Director Position Open at StrongHearts Native Helpline
StrongHearts Native Helpline Releases Chat Advocacy One-Year Report
Call for Justice is Answered by New MMIW Unit
Joint Statement: STANDING AS RELATIVES WITH INDIGENOUS SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
StrongHearts Native Helpline Launches Text Advocacy
StrongHearts Native Helpline Marks Four Year Anniversary
StrongHearts Native Helpline Announces Launch of 24/7 Operations
StrongHearts Native Helpline Receives 10,000th Call
New Tribal Division Speaks To Needs Of Tribal Nations
StrongHearts Native Helpline receives 2020 Heroes In Health National Impact Award From National Indian Health Board
Native Advocacy Organizations Release Joint Statement Recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month This October
StrongHearts Native Helpline Honors October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month
SCOTUS Affirms Reservation Upholds Jurisdiciton to Protect Native Women
Stacking Up The Numbers
International Day Against Homophobia Commemorated
StrongHearts Native Helpline Announces Addition of Online Chat Sessions with Advocates