4.2: B. Myths and Realities
- Page ID
- 47619
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Much of the following information was obtained from a web site at the University of Minnesota through the Program Against Sexual Violence, "Stalking."
MYTH #1: Stalkers simply follow their victim around.
REALITY: "Stalkers made overt threats (about 45% of cases); spied on or followed (75%); vandalized property (about 30%); threatened to kill or killed pets of victims (10%)."
MYTH #2: Stalking does not last long.
REALITY: Most episodes lasted about a year or less, but some have been reported to continue for five years or more.
MYTH #3: Stalkers eventually get bored and go away.
REALITY: "20% of victims said the stalking ended because the victim moved away. 15% said it ended due to police involvement. Some stalkers do end the stalking when they begin a new intimate relationship."
MYTH #4: Stalking is a rare occurrence.
REALITY: One in 10 people are stalked. One in 12 women are stalked in their lifetimes. Each year an estimated one million women and close to 400,000 men are stalked
(Survivors of Stalking; University of Minnesota, Stalking).
MYTH #5: Stalking is a frightening experience; therefore, victims immediately seek out legal protection.
REALITY: Only 50% ever report it to the police and only 25% obtain restraining orders.
MYTH #6: If you get a restraining order, the stalker will back off.
REALITY: 80% of all restraining orders are violated.
MYTH #7: Stalking is not something that happens to teens.
REALITY: 10 percent of females are under 18 years old and12% of males are under 18 years old (Survivors of Stalking).
MYTH #8: If a person is being stalked s/he should not worry; it is merely a nuisance and the stalker is harmless.
REALITY: "Most violent crimes begin with stalking. People, including children, are typically stalked before being abducted" (Survivors of Stalking).
MYTH #9: Only the person stalked is in jeopardy.
REALITY: "Stalking endangers the victim, family, community and also poses a workplace violence threat. Millions of innocent people suffer the secondary impact of the stalker's actions" (Survivors of Stalking).
MYTH #10: Stalking is something that is limited to the victim's private life.
REALITY: "More than 45% of all stalking cases involve disruption within the workplace" (Survivors of Stalking 1).
MYTH #11: Most stalkers are strangers who are considered mentally ill.
REALITY: "Most victims knew the stalker. Women were most likely to be stalked by an intimate partner (77%); 64% of men knew their stalker. Most victims believe the reasons for the stalkers' actions were power and control, and only 7% said the stalkers were mentally ill or abusing drugs or alcohol" (University of Minnesota, Stalking).
Ask students to think about their own intimate relationships and if their refusal to let a relationship end might have been thought of as ‘stalking’ by the other person. Would they have trouble communicating clearly and forcefully to someone to leave them alone?