Stalkers can be unpredictable and dangerous and can use technology or a variety of ways to invade your live. Most stalkers use multiple tactics and escalate their behaviours at any time.
Stalking can be perpetrated by anyone, including intimate partners or ex-intimate partners, someone who wishes to be an intimate partner, family members, acquaintances and strangers.
Stalking can include:
Unwanted behaviours
- Loitering around your home.
- Spying or tracking your movements (online, using technology or in person).
- Following you.
- Making unwanted approaches to you (at home, work, in public).
- Making unwanted approaches to friends, family or colleagues.
- Interfering with or damaging your property, breaking into your home.
Threats or abuse
- Threats to harm you or those close to you.
- Threats to harm themselves around you.
- Physical attacks or attempted physical attacks.
- Sexual violence or attempted sexual violence.
Malicious communication
- Sending inappropriate letters, texts, WhatsApp messages, emails or social media messages.
- Making inappropriate or malicious telephone calls to you.
- Sending unwanted gifts.
Reputational damage
- Distributing malicious material about you (e.g. flyers, websites, posters, newspaper ads).
- Engaging in inappropriate or malicious social media contacts (e.g. X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat).
- Initiating false legal action against you.
- Making false complaints to agencies.
- Taking pictures/recordings of you without your consent.
- Sharing private images of you that are of a very personal nature (e.g. nude images, sexual images).
Stalking is a crime. Learn about your rights and options here.
All these signs are serious. You do not need to experience several, or all of them, to indicate stalking.