Wiltshire charity says rejected partners most common stalking culprits
FearFree warn exes have information a stranger wouldn't
A domestic abuse charity in Wiltshire is urging us to be more aware of the impact stalking can have on peoples lives.
FearFree support victims of abuse and say rejection is the most common cause for domestic abuse related stalking.
Their CEO Claire Marshall says a rejected or aggrieved partner has information a stranger wouldn't, making it even more threatening.
"Any form of stalking is deeply alarming," she said, adding: "The difficulty with this area of stalking is a rejected partner knows their partner's personal habits and potentially their whereabouts.
"They may have access to information that a stranger wouldn't have and therefore it's much easier for them to pursue their former partner."
Claire says the impact of stalking simply cannot be overestimated.
"It's basically constantly living in fear, absolutely terrifying, and the impact of that can't be overestimated. We find that many people don't understand the impact of that can be lifelong," she said.
Social Media can be weaponised in Stalking cases
She also warned that social media can play a huge role in facilitating an ex-partner in stalking a victim.
Claire said FearFree believe a victim, or their behaviour, shouldn't be blamed, but using social media makes it quite tricky as it moves into protecting a victim.
"We shouldn't have to do this, it should be fine to be able to give away your location for instance. But actually if you have recently removed from an abusive relationship or experiencing stalking, concealing your location becomes paramount," she said.
There's also concerns over the language used, with social media allowing us to humorously refer to' stalking' friends or former partners online.
But Claire stressed that stalking 'destroys lives' leaving victims frightened every time they leave their home, when the phone rings and when someone knocks on the door.
FearFree advise anyone who feels they are or could be at risk of being stalked by an ex-partner to vary their everyday habits as much as possible, seek support from friends, family and work colleagues and be vigilant about concealing their location on social media.
They urge anyone being stalked to report it to the police so the perpetrator can be identified and stopped.