杏吧性世界

Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety and the safety of others, or to suffer substantial distress.

Course of conduct means a pattern of two or more instances. This can include the same stalking behavior repeated or more than one behavior. Documenting unwanted contact or behaviors can help establish a pattern. 

Stalking behaviors can fall under several categories. These categories are not exhaustive because in stalking, context matters. A behavior that might seem harmless in one context can feel threatening in the context of stalking.  

• Surveillance: watching, following, monitoring, and/or gathering information  
  • Examples:
    • Following or tracking someone (in person or online)
    • Using technology (e.g., a camera, GPS, or recording device) to monitor someone
    • Surveilling someone鈥檚 social media activity
    • Hacking into someone鈥檚 accounts,  
    • Gathering information about someone through their friends/colleagues/ family members
• Life Invasion: showing up in a victim鈥檚 life where the victim does not want them to be
  • Examples:
    • Showing up uninvited to places the victim might be, like their classes, organization, workplaces, or living space
    • Unwanted contact, including phone calls, texts, DMs, and social media comments
    • Leaving unwanted gifts or notes
    • Joining groups the victim belongs to
    • Contacting people in the victim鈥檚 life
• Interference: sabotaging, attacking, humiliating, or otherwise changing the victim鈥檚 life for the worse
  • Examples:
    • Forcing confrontations
    • Damaging property
    • Tampering with accounts
    • Spreading rumors or misinformation to damage the victim鈥檚 reputation
    • Impersonating the victim online
• Intimidation: behaving in a way that is intended to threaten or scare a victim
  • Examples:
    • Threats to hurt, humiliate, or otherwise harm
    • Intimidation through a third party
    • Blackmail
    • Threatening gestures  
    • Threats to hurt oneself or others (e.g. victim鈥檚 family, friends, pets) 

Respect others鈥� boundaries, privacy, and independence
In healthy relationships of all kinds, we can show respect for other peoples鈥� boundaries, privacy, and independence through our words and actions. 

• Respond positively when someone sets a boundary (for example, saying 鈥渢hank you for telling me that鈥�) and stopping the behavior that is making them uncomfortable.  
• Recognize that it is healthy for people to have outside interests and relationships.
• Understand that everyone deserves privacy, including digital privacy.
• Avoid questions or behaviors designed to monitor or control another person鈥檚 actions or relationships.  

Safely intervene if you notice stalking behavior
Bystander Intervention tactics can help us safely and effectively interrupt violence, including stalking behaviors. To learn more about how to be an active bystander, please join one of our Bystander Intervention trainings, open to all USF students.

Don鈥檛 normalize or minimize stalking   
Movies, tv shows, and books often frame stalking as romantic, funny, or just someone being awkward, which can lead to people downplaying stalking behaviors. If you hear or see someone minimizing stalking, help them understand that stalking is dangerous, traumatic, and criminal. 

Support people who experience stalking 
Many people who experience stalking disclose to their friends or family first. By providing support, validation and resources, you can help them feel safer and more comfortable seeking out other forms of support. 

• Believe them. Remind them that the stalking is not their fault.
• Validate them. Honor whatever feelings they are experiencing and thank them for sharing with you.
• Check In. Keep lines of communication open and let them know you are a safe person to talk to if they need support.  
• Respect their choices. Trust that they know what they need to feel safe.
• Offer resources. Offer to connect them with a confidential resource, such as the Center for Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention 

Every April, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). CVAVP teams up with campus and community partners to host events that raise awareness, build skills around consent and healthy relationships, and show support for survivors.

CVAVP hosts a variety of SAAM events each April, including:

Empower April: A SAAM Launch Event 

Join CVAVP and campus partners to learn more about ways to contribute to a community free of violence. Free food, giveaways, crafts, resources, and more.

Violence and Disability: Building Safe, Supportive Communities (part of the Accessibility Insights Series) 

Panelists from the Center for Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention and the James and Jennifer Harrell Center for the Study of Violence will share insights about how sexual violence impacts disabled individuals and strategies that students, faculty, and staff can use to contribute to accessible, trauma-informed prevention efforts.

For more information about this series, please visit Accessibility Insights.

Denim Day   

As part of an international initiative, this event aims to create a more survivor-supportive community and dispel victim-blaming myths. Contribute to our denim quilt with affirming messages for survivors. Free food, giveaways, resources, and more.          

Consent Conversations Workshop  

In this interactive workshop, participants  will explore a mutual respect framework for consent and build skills for navigating consent communication across cultures and communication styles.

Take Back the Night 

This annual survivor solidarity event includes creative performances, community resources, a survivor speak out.

Flow and Grow (in partnership with Recreation and Wellness) 

Join us for restorative activities, including yoga, potting your own plant, and other self-care activities. Connect with support resources and enjoy nature!

How to Support Survivors Workshop 

In this virtual discussion, we explore ways to support friends, loved ones, and members of our community who are survivors of sexual violence.

For questions or reasonable accommodations, please contact va@usf.edu.

October is Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM). This month provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the dynamics of abuse, promote healthy relationships, and show support to survivors.

• Participate in campus events throughout October that raise awareness and support survivors.
• Wear purple to show solidarity during Relationship Violence Awareness Month.
• Engage in workshops and campaigns that highlight healthy relationship skills.

To request reasonable accommodations for any event, please contact va@usf.edu.

• USF Center for Victim Advocacy & Violence Prevention