Resources for Michiganders Targeted by Stalkers

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan stands with survivors of stalking and harassment.

Stalking is a serious crime and survivors who experience it deserve to be safe, heard, and protected. Far too often crimes of stalking go unrecognized and unaddressed which is why it’s essential to increase the conversation throughout January around National Stalking Awareness Month.

Did you know 1 in 4 women and 1 in 13 men will experience stalking in their lifetime? While there is less research on trans and nonbinary people facing stalking a 2019 study did find that 27.7% of trans and nonbinary undergraduate students reported incidents of stalking.

Stalking can be defined as:

A pattern of unwanted behavior including monitoring, harassing, repeatedly contacting, or following another person that causes the targeted person to feel frightened, threatened, or intimidated.

Stalking can be difficult to recognize. These are some common actions stalkers take:

• Follow you or show up wherever you are

• Send unwanted gifts, letters, cards, or emails

• Damage your home, car, or other property

• Monitor phone calls or computer use

• Become fixated or behave in obsessive ways

• Use technology like spyware, cameras or GPS to track you

• Threaten to disclose intimate or embarrassing images of you (sometimes called “revenge porn”)

• Drive by or hang out at or near your home, school, or workplace

• Threaten to hurt you, your family, friends, or pets

• Find information about you by using public records, online search services, spyware, investigators, or by contacting friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers

• Post information or spread rumors about you on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth

• Other actions that control, track, or frighten you

Experiencing stalking can be scary and difficult to navigate. If you or someone you love is concerned about a stalker, please consider reaching out to a local community resource with experience supporting survivors of stalking.

Michigan resources include:

Statewide:

• Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence – Hotline: 855-VOICES4 or text 866-238-1454

Detroit Region

• Alternative for Girls (ages 12-21)

• First Step – Multiple locations in Plymouth, Wayne, Detroit, and Lincoln Park

• Supreme Transitions

• Turning Point – Mt. Clemens

• The Ruth Ellis Center

• Trans Sisters of Color Project

• Transition 1,2,3

• YMCA Interim House – Detroit

Flint Region

• YWCA of Greater Flint’s SafeHouse Shelter – Flint

Kalamazoo Region

• YWCA Kalamazoo

Jackson Region

• Aware – Jackson

Lansing Region

• Ending Violent Encounters

• Women’s Center of Greater Lansing

• SIREN Shelter

• S.A.F.E. Place – Battle Creek

Mount Pleasant / Saginaw Region

• Listening Ear Crisis Center

• Bay Area Women’s Center

Northern Michigan Region

• Harbor House – Marquette and Alger counties

• Pete’s Place (ages 12-17)

• Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan

National Resources:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233