Stalking Survivors Speak: What Survivors Want You to Know to Enhance Your Response to Stalking

During this panel discussion, survivors and advocates recount their experiences with stalking to illustrate the devastating and long-lasting effects these crimes can have on victims and their families. The webinar highlights the many forms stalking can take, including harassment, cyberstalking, threats, property damage, unwanted surveillance, and violence, while emphasizing that stalking is a pattern of behavior rather than a series of isolated incidents. Panelists discuss the emotional trauma, financial burdens, safety concerns, and barriers they encountered when seeking assistance from law enforcement and other institutions. Through their stories, participants underscore the need for increased public awareness, stronger victim support services, improved training for criminal justice professionals, and more comprehensive responses aimed at preventing escalation and enhancing survivor safety.