Stalking

• Pattern of conduct: two or more actions or incidents closely related in time, whether or not there has been a prior conviction based on any of those actions or incidents
• Mental distress: any mental illness or condition that involved some temporary substantial incapacity or mental illness condition that would normally require psychiatric treatment

Therefore, a person who, on more than one occasion, follows, pursues, or harasses you in a threatening manner may be guilty of menacing by stalking under Ohio law.

Telephone harassment

In general, when a caller purposely harasses, abuses, and/or annoys the recipient of a telephone call. If you are receiving harassing telephone calls, record the time and date. Save any threatening voice mail messages, answering machine recordings, or texts. When you hang up from a threatening call, immediately call and make a police report. The police will give you a police report or case number. You can then contact the Nuisance Call Bureau at 1-800-257-2969 to trace the call(s). This information will be forwarded to your police report.

Any stalking or harassing behavior should be documented!

Risk Reduction

Install deadbolts or change locks, avoid secluded areas, always lock your car, park in well-lit areas, install proper lighting in and around your home, screen your phone calls, always let people know of your whereabouts and when you expect to return, vary routes to and from work or school, devise a code word to use with your support network when you need the police, etc.

Prepare a Safety Plan

A safety plan of action can help reduce a victim’s risk of serious danger. Developing a plan of action should include:

• Seek out support
• Have an escape plan
• Have a bag packed with essentials
• Report all illegal acts or threatening behavior to the police/sheriff
• Keep a notebook/calendar of events
• Educate yourself on your state’s stalking laws
• Seek anti-stalking protection order

It is important for victims of stalking to recognize that their victimization is not their fault. Stalking is a crime that can touch anyone. Listed below are common reactions a victim of stalking experiences:

• Denial—which gives the stalker the advantage of being able to continue without repercussion
• Social isolation
• Anxiety—causing the victim to be on-edge at all times
• Exhaustion
• Depression
• Decreased self-esteem
• Blaming of self for “allowing” this to happen
• Extreme anger—which may lead to irrational decision-making by the victim
• Acceptance of what the victim’s life has become