Vendetta Stalking

When one thinks of stalking we automatically tend to think of Celebrity stalking or the man who stalks a woman he becomes obsessed with. In rare cases, we hear about the woman stalker who stalks another woman because of a real or imagined relationship that the victim may have with a male the stalker is interested in. We hear about these cases because they get brought to our attention by the Media.

However, there are other types of stalking that occur on a daily basis across this country that gets little or no attention from the media. It is called vendetta stalking and the stalker can be an individual or a group. Vendetta stalkers, often act out of anger for some real or perceived wrong they feel the victim has done to them.

To help understand what vendetta stalking is and the effect it can have on its victim, let us first define stalking and explain what kinds of behavior constitutes stalking.

According to Wikipedia Stalking is any unwanted attention by an individual or group of people towards another that can result in harassment or intimidation.

Most acts that constitute stalking are legal acts such as making phone calls, writing letters, sending emails or gifts to an individual. None of these acts alone constitute stalking, but taken together when the intent in clear to harass or intimidate these acts do constitute stalking.

There is no set amount of letters, emails and phone calls that constitute stalking in some cases authorities refused to act unless there is a great deal of evidence. In other cases as few as three or four incidents over a short period of time is enough for authorities to consider that a criminal offense should be considered.

In vendetta stalking the victim usually knows the stalker and there has been some kind of relationship between them in the past. They may have had a professional relationship such as coworkers, or a personal relationship such as belonging to the same club or having mutual friends.

In many cases vendetta stalkers are women who stalk another woman or a group of people who have some connection to one another and band together perceiving a supposed wrong to one is a wrong to all.

These stalkers are not psychotic but are unreasonably angry over some small event that they have blown all out of portion or blame the victim for something that has happened to them. Their goal is usually not to inflict physical harm but to commit a mental assault on the victim.

Victims of these kind of stalkers often feel isolated, anxious, and depressed. They are over come with feelings of hopelessness and even suffer loss of self esteem. In some cases, victims have even taken their own lives to escape the torment.

There are some things you can do to protect yourself from the vendetta stalker.

• Change your phone number, and the routes you take to the store and to work.

• Keep a record of all phone calls and record them if possible

• keep all emails and letters that are sent to you

• keep a notebook and write down any and all attempts these people make to approach you.

• If there are any overt threat to your personal safety call the police immediately.

• Otherwise when you have enough documentation of what is happening to you, get a restraining order keeping them from contacting you.

• Seek counseling to help you deal with any trauma that the stalker is causing you or your family.

Always remember that stalking is a criminal offense and you have the right to be protected and to live a normal and sane life without interference.