(a) 93% of stalking victims indicate that being stalked had a significant negative impact on their personal relationships.
(b) Of those victims currently in romantic relationships, 71 % indicate that being stalked created conflict in their romantic relationships, most often reporting that their current romantic partner was jealous of or intimidated by the stalker.
(c) 63% of stalking victims reported conflict in their friendships as a result of being stalked. The conflict was most often created by victims' unwillingness to attend social events where their stalker might be present and friend's frustration because they believed the victim was not doing enough to deter their stalker.
(d) Nearly 38% of stalking victims reported losing time from school or work as a result of being stalked. Some indicated that they had changed jobs or transferred to another school to escape the always-present terror they experienced.
(e) Most stalking victims reported that they were at a loss about what they could do to end their victimization. Most of the tactics they tried seemed to make matters worse.
(f) Many of the victims reported living in perpetual fear that something might push their stalker over the edge and lead him to physically assault, sexually assault, or even murder them.

It is the responsibility of law enforcement, the workplace, the community, and the victim to end stalking. The following pages outline some strategies that can be employed to help end stalking and its negative consequences.

No research has systematically examined what specific strategies may work best to end stalking. It has been hypothesized that anti-stalking strategies will only be effective if they can overcome the unique motivations of a particular type of stalker. A strategy that may be effective in dealing with one type of stalker likely will not be effective in dealing with all stalkers.
What follows is a list of strategies that have been demonstrated to be effective among stalking victims across the state of Texas based on research conducted by the website's authors. In the absence of research on the topic, the stalking victim, mental health professionals, and law enforcement personnel are in the best position to make decisions about what strategies should be employed on a case by case basis. The authors of this website hope to conduct research on this topic in the coming year with continued support from the Texas Governor's Office, Criminal Justice Division.
Protect Yourself
(a) Obtain an order of protection.
(b) Do not ignore any threat. Call the police or sheriff's department.
(c) Save any record of the threat.
(d) Have quick access to critical telephone numbers and the location of safe places, such as: Police Stations, friend's houses, domestic violence shelters, etc.
(e) Consider a home security check. (Local police branches, victim support agencies, and security companies may offer this service.)
(f) Keep a packed suitcase in the car for a quick departure.
(g) Keep gas in your car and adequate money or credit cards in your wallet.
(h) Limit the distribution of your home address and phone number. Provide business contact information instead, whenever possible.
(i) Consider getting a Post Office Box for correspondence or installing a locking letter box.
(j) Make sure all personal information on letters or paperwork is destroyed before discarding it. (Stalkers may go through your trash looking for personal information.)
(k) Have your address and other contact details removed from all public records, including electoral rolls, libraries, business cards, driver's license, car registration, and medical registries.
(l) If children are involved, they should be instructed in basic safety drills. Their school should also be notified, given information about the stalker, and security arrangements should be made for them in case the stalker appears there.
(m) Keep a detailed diary of the stalkers behavior, including photographs of destroyed property, photographs of injuries inflicted by the stalker, recordings of harassing messages, license plate numbers, etc.
-Keep pen and paper easily accessible, even in the car, for this purpose.
(n) Install dead bolt locks. If you do not know where all of your keys are, change your locks immediately.
(o) If possible, install outdoor lighting, lockable windows, exterior motion sensor lights, and peepholes in doors.
-Trimming shrubbery is also recommended.
(p) Vary your routes of travel.
(q) Park in safe, well-lit areas. Always have someone escort you to and from your car.
(r) Tell your managers, co-workers, friends, and security at your business and residence about the stalker. If possible, provide them with a description and photograph. Ask them to alert you in advance about the stalker's presence and call the police, if appropriate.
(s) Purchase a mobile phone for emergencies.
(t) Use an unlisted home phone number and acquire caller-ID.
(u) Do not change your phone number. A stalker may view this as a new challenge to overcome in order to be with you, feeding their false beliefs. Instead, purchase an answering machine and ask a same-gender friend to record the message (so as not to provoke a stalker who mistakenly perceives competition).
(w) Take self-defense training classes.
(x) File police reports of any illegal behavior perpetrated by the stalker.
Diffuse the unique motivations of the stalker
(a) Make it completely clear that a relationship is not wanted now or in the future.
-Say this only once.
-Use plain language.
-Try not to be emotional.
-Avoid using threatening or humiliating language.
-You may want to rehearse with a friend before speaking with the stalker.
(b) Do not engage in further discussions with the stalker.
-Do not argue with them.
-Do not negotiate with them.
-Ongoing communication will reward the stalker and lead him to maintain contact.
Be careful not to unintentionally encourage the stalker
(a) Never initiate contact with the stalker. They may misperceive this to indicate that you are interested in them.
(b) Statements like, "I'm sorry, but I'm just not interested in a relationship at the moment," or "I'm too busy for this right now," may imply that you could be interested in a relationship some time in the future.
(c) Statements like, "I already have a boyfriend," may be interpreted as "I'd go out with you but for my boyfriend."
(d) Do not let them down easy by delivering your rejection in installments. This will only needlessly prolong the relationship. This may give the stalker hope or give his obsession with you time to grow.
(e) Do not return unsolicited letters of gifts. This may prove to the stalker that he is connecting with you.