We at Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers are gearing up for National Stalking Awareness month, to be recognized in January 2016.
While many people in Lebanon are more than aware of the public stalking and harassment of our residents and town employees, few will do anything to stop it, or doubt that they have the ability to effectively stop it.
Many people offer advice, "Just ignore it", "Don't look at those Facebook pages", "Don't let him get to you".
Even our State Police have offered such advice as "Suck it up, you're in the public eye, it happens".
Yes, it does happen.
Usually for a short period of time until the stalker loses his or her anger, or gets involved with another activity that changes their attention. State Police are told to just tell people to "sit tight" and "weather the storm".
But what happens when the stalking continues? What recourse do we have as human beings, as a community, or as a town?
That question is one that we aim to help figure out over the month of January 2016 and we're working on a series of short videos followed by discussion, speakers from legal, law enforcement, psychological and educational backgrounds, and hopefully, a better understanding of what it means to be stalked or harassed, either physically or via the internet.
While many of us believe that we have been stalked, and to some degree, probably have, there is nothing like knowing the dread of waking up and wondering what the stalker will be saying about you, where they will turn up, or if they will involve your children in order to hurt, scare, or bully someone into changing their career, their residence, or their way of life.
What are the effects of long term stalking?? The National Center for Victims of Crime has shared these horrifying, and yet all too realistic results coming from the victims of long term stalking.
Think about each one of these as it pertains to your own lives.
Could you continue to do your job effectively if you are looking over your shoulder to see if someone is taking a photograph of you, documenting your movements, reporting each time you trip or reporting your purchases or your whereabouts.
Could you continue to send your child to school wondering if someone were outside taking photographs or videos of your child's activities?
Could you concentrate on safe driving, if you are constantly having the need to check your mirrors or your surroundings for someone following you, photographing you, or documenting each use of your directional or whether or not you have a brake light out.
We in Lebanon need to think very seriously about stalking and the effects on the human mind from long term analyzing of each and every movement, each and every breath, each and every blink of the eye.
I share these effects of stalking on its victims with all of you in preparation of the National Stalking Awareness Month of January 2016. I would like it very much if you take the time during your busy holiday preparations, to think about how you would personally feel if you were documented, recorded, photographed in each store, each activity, each gift you buy, each event that you attend or don't attend over the next few weeks.
When we begin our discussion and our series of speakers and informational lectures on Stalking in January, we hope that you will come equipped with questions and some forethought and knowledge as to the extent that being stalked on a continual basis for long periods of time can have on the victims of stalking, and the end result to either the victim, or even to the stalker him or herself.
What is the impact of stalking on victims?
The impact of stalking may vary according to the victim’s characteristics, past experience, current circumstances, and what they know, or don’t know, about the stalker. How others respond to the victim’s situation, including how the stalking is managed by authorities, can influence the overall effect that the stalking episode has on the victim. Despite the complexities that may vary an individual’s experience and reaction to being stalked, research has demonstrated common patterns of response. Although female victims usually report greater levels of fear, studies have found that males subjected to stalking experience similar symptoms to those reported by their female counterparts.Although not exhaustive, the following are some of the more common effects that victims of stalking experience:
Effects on mental health
- Denial, confusion, self-doubt, questioning if what is happening is unreasonable, wondering if they are over-reacting
- Frustration
- Guilt, embarrassment, self-blame
- Apprehension, fear, terror of being alone or that they, others or pets will be harmed.
- Feeling isolated and helpless to stop the harassment
- Depression (all symptoms related to depression)
- Anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia (frightened to leave the house, never feeling safe)
- Difficulty concentrating, attending and remembering things
- Inability to sleep – nightmares, ruminating
- Irritability, anger, homicidal thoughts
- Emotional numbing
- Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress disorder e.g. hypervigilance (always on the lookout), flashbacks of frightening incidents, easily startled
- Insecurity and inability to trust others, problems with intimacy
- Personality changes due to becoming more suspicious, introverted or aggressive
- Self-medication alcohol/ drugs or using prescribed medications
- Suicide thoughts and/or suicide attempts
Effects on physical health
- Fatigue from difficulty sleeping, being constantly on guard, symptoms of depression
- Effects of chronic stress including headaches, hypertension
- Gastrointestinal problems -
- Fluctuations in weight due to not eating or comfort eating
- Development or exacerbation of pre-existing conditions e.g. asthma, gastric ulcers and psoriasis.
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Impact on health of increased use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs
- Sexual dysfunction
- Physical injury due to not concentrating or being under the influence of substances
- Heart palpitations and sweating
Effects on work and school
- Deteriorating school/work performance
- Increased sick leave
- Leaving job or being sacked
- Changing career
- Dropping out of school – poorer education and career opportunities
Effects on social life
- Insecurity and inability to trust others impacting on current and future relationships and friendships,
- Problems with physical and emotional intimacy.
- Avoidance of usual activities e.g., going to the gym, going out.
- Isolation through trying to protect others , feeling misunderstood or psychological symptoms.
- Others withdrawing from the victim because they don’t believe the victim, they are unable to cope with the victim’s mental state or as a direct consequence of third-party victimisation.
- Victim moving to a new area, changing their phone number, name or even their appearance.
Effects on finances
- Loss of wages due to sick leave, leaving job or changing career.
- Costs incurred through legal fees.
- Expense of increasing home and personal security.
- Cost involved in repairing property damage.
- Seeking psychological counselling and medical treatment.
- Cost involved in breaking leases on rented properties.
- Expense of relocation.
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