The Project
"Stalking has been normalized, minimized, and even romanticized in today's society rather than criminalized. We need to change that."
-Kathryn, Victim of Stalking (Conviction won in 2020)
About the Project
Our mission is to promote awareness of stalking and its impact on victims through meaningful education and action.
Victims of stalking often struggle to get law enforcement to intervene because the definition of stalking, which varies from state to state, is loosely defined as a pattern of behavior that causes a reasonable person to feel fear. This can be a difficult element for victims in presenting their case to law enforcement. Many well-intentioned organizations promote incident logs as a defense against stalking, which are essential; however, logs alone are simply not enough. See our “Tips” tab for more information.
The Hard Truth
54%
of female victims of murder reported stalking to the police before they were killed.
85%
of women who survived murder attempts were stalked.
< 33%
of states classify stalking as a felony offense.
Approximately 13.5 million people are stalked in a one-year period, with 11% of those cases lasting more than five years, yet less than 30% of victims seek law enforcement intervention. Of those who do, many will be told the incidents logged are “coincidences” or are “random” and do not rise to the level of criminal behavior. Victims can get frustrated as the stalking behavior continues, which can lead to isolation and an array of mental health disorders.
For the estimated 16% of victims that engage law enforcement, and a report is filed, only 13 charges for stalking will be issued. Even then, prosecutors have the challenge of proving stalking, resulting in a single guilty conviction for every 1,000 cases.
Simply put, the odds are against the victim, and we hope to change that.