Are You Being Stalked? Stalking is a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, , or For more information about safety planning, contact. Stalkers use tactics like: community resources or • Following you and showing up programs and services in your area, contact wherever you are: work, school, your nearest domestic violence program. shopping, or place of worship. • Sending you unwanted emails, texts, messages, letters, or gifts. • Monitoring your phone use, social media sites, or email. • Using your cell phone or GPS to track you. For information about free legal assistance • Making threats to harm you, your please contact the Ohio Legal Services at children, relatives, friends, or pets. 866-lawohio (866-529-6446) or • Damaging your personal property. www.ohiolegalhelp.org. • Intimidating you in any way. • Securing personal information about you by accessing records, hiring private investigators, using Internet search services, contacting friends, family, work or neighbors, or going www.odvn.org through your garbage. 800-934-9840 • 614-781-9651 • Driving by your home, school, or work. • Other actions that control, track, or Are You frighten you.

Domestic Violence and Stalking Being Most stalking is committed by a current or former intimate partner. Intimate partners Stalked? who stalk know the most about their The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) is a statewide coalition of domestic victims so they are particularly hard to get violence programs, supportive agencies, and concerned individuals working together to safely away from. For this reason, ending stop domestic violence through education, information and training for those who an abusive relationship can be difficult are affected by domestic violence, and by promoting social and systems change. and dangerous. It is important to contact This publication was supported by grant number 2019-VOCA-132133375 awarded your local domestic violence program or by the Office for Victims of , Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department victim assistance office for support and of Justice, through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Victims of federal safety planning during this time. will be served. Stalking is a Crime protected. keeping as much as possible offline Menacing by stalking is the act of a person Protection Orders through and out of public records. Do not who knowingly engages in a pattern of Criminal Court give out personal information unless conduct that causes you to believe that the • If someone is stalking you and is absolutely necessary. If the stalker offender (stalker) will cause you physical charged with certain crimes, you may knows your social security number or harm or that causes you mental distress. be able to ask the criminal court for a other critical information, talk to an • “Pattern of conduct” means two or more criminal protection order. advocate to consider your options. actions or incidents that occur in a • This is a temporary order which only • Open a post office box a fair distance short period of time. lasts during the criminal case. This order from your home and use it as your • “Mental distress” means any condition can end suddenly and without notice to new address for all mail and as your that would normally require you leaving you without protection. address in all transactions. counseling. However, receiving • It can order the stalker not to contact • Ask utility companies to require a counseling is NOT required to you in any way and to stay away from password for anyone to access your obtain legal remedies. If a person you along with other orders to help account. follows, pursues or harasses you keep you safe. • Use a different schedule and route of in a threatening manner on travel each day. more than one occasion, this For more information on Criminal and person may be guilty of stalking Civil Stalking Protection Orders, contact For more information to help you safety under Ohio law. Contact local an attorney, your local domestic violence plan, visit www.odvn.org/. law enforcement to report agency, a prosecutor-based victim advocate all stalking incidents. Even for assistance, or go to www.odvn.org/ for Technology and Stalking if charges are not filed, law more information. Only an attorney can Cyber stalking is the use of the Internet, enforcement reports may give you legal advice or help you present email, GPS, or other technology to harass be helpful to record the your case to the court. or stalk another person. Here are some pattern of stalking. safety tips: Planning for Your Safety • Use your phone’s security and Protection Orders through Civil Even if you choose to seek help from the settings. Court courts, planning for your safety should • Know how to change and turn off • If someone is engaging in behaviors be an on-going process. Here are some location settings and features for your that may be considered stalking, suggestions that may help to improve your apps. whether or not criminal charges are safety: • Turning off your phone and taking filed, you may ask the court for a civil • Never contact your stalker or try to out the battery or putting your stalking protection order. reason with this person. Let calls from phone on airplane mode can stop all • If the stalker is a family or household unknown numbers go to voicemail. communication sharing to and from member or a current or former dating • Document all stalking incidents or the phone. partner, then you may have the option actions in a journal. Keep the journal • Change passwords and security to request a Domestic Violence or in a safe place. Keep all evidence of the questions often to protect your online Dating Civil Protection Order (CPO) stalking, including voicemails, photos, accounts. instead. texts, social media posts, emails and • This order can last up to five years. notes/letters. Ask any witnesses to For more • It can order the stalker not to contact provide a written statement about what information, visit you in any way, to stay away from you, they observed along with their contact www.odvn.org/ for and other measures to help keep you information. technology stalking • Protect personal information by resources.