During my years as a psychic consultant, I have been contacted many times to help victims of stalkers. Ninety percent of the time, the police can’t do anything because there is no proof. So they come to me, looking for the stalkers’ next moves. My heart goes out to these people, as I have been in their shoes before. Yes, I had a stalker…but I’m here to let you know that you can catch them. There is hope of surviving the ordeal and many ways to protect yourself from these individuals.

My Experience with a Stalker

My story is pretty dull in comparison to some of the ones I’ve heard. I was 19 and just developing my psychic practice, newly married and completely overjoyed with my successes. I had a client who came to me once or twice a week to ask about one of her current lovers. After a while, she was booking appointments ever other day. She lived in the same city as I did, and I would see her here and there. I didn’t think anything of it. After almost a year and a half, there was really nothing more I could tell her. I suggested we take a break and that she go ahead and see another psychic I recommended.

Three days later, I got a phone call from the psychic saying that my client had just been to visit her and that all the woman talked about was how I had rejected her. I was taken aback with that, and the other psychic told me to watch out. Two days later, I had a flat tire while driving to a client’s house for a party. It was on a dirt road, so I chalked it up to a sharp rock. I called AAA, and they said that my tire had been punctured. This scared the crap out of me.

Events Escalate

Two weeks later, I was sitting in my office and looking out my window drinking a cup of coffee. I saw her standing outside my building, looking up at my window. The next night, I saw her car outside my house. I called the cops, but by the time they came, she was gone.

I started writing down all of my experiences, the type of car she drove, and all the pertinent information I could think of. Finally, almost a week later, the police caught her parked a street down from where I lived. Although it was a terribly frightening experience, I thank her. She has taught me to become more vigilant and cautious in life.

Protecting Yourself from a Stalker

It is incredibly important to learn to protect yourself from a stalker. You must take control back in these situations. For me, it helped to document and record information. I keep my light on when I know I won’t be back until after dark so I can peer in the windows and make sure that no uninvited visitors have decided to come in. I clutch my car key with the metal end pointing out between my pointer and middle finger in case of attack. I took self-defense classes (most police stations offer this course for free for women) and bought some pepper spray which hangs on a keychain and looks like a little flashlight.

I think the scariest thing about my experience was how normal the person looked–she wasn’t someone you would think to be a stalker. It’s a mental issue, and many stalkers appear to be very common. I’m not saying be paranoid–just be prepared.

How To Deal With a Stalker

• Keep a journal of all incidents. Get as detailed as possible. Report these incidents to the police, and keep a running log of your visits, who you talked to, what action they said they would take, and what action was really taken.

• If you receive malicious calls, do not react. Place the handset off the receiver for a minute, then dial *69 to see if a phone number was recorded. Write down the time of the call and the number. If you receive harassing text messages, always keep them and show them to the police. Contact your cell-phone provider and ask for a printout of the texts.

• Avoid going out by yourself, and stay in public places with a lot of people.

• Always carry a cell phone (with police and emergency services on speed dial), beeper, and personal alarm with you (I carry a whistle).

• If you feel you are being followed, make for the nearest house or store, and ask for people there to call the police.

• If you notice a car following you or parked outside your house, always take down the make and model as well as the license plate of the car and the time and date. If you see the car multiple times either following you or parked outside your house, call the police.

• Contact the local police to have them come over and check out your house to see if there are ways you can make it safer (with locks, for example).

• Do you not let the stalker dominate your life and mind. Keep your regular life going, and try to do things you enjoy.

Remember–this is not your fault! There’s nothing wrong with you. The person is sick, and you may never know exactly why they are stalking you. Sometimes it takes just a smile to make someone feel that you are theirs. Other times, jealousy could be the root cause. The point is, the cause doesn’t matter as much as it matters that the stalking stops. Don’t allow yourself to be a victim. Be a hero, and help save others from this person. Most likely, you are not the first, and if you do not help the police do something, then you definitely will not be the last.

Resources For Those Dealing With Stalkers

Are You Being Stalked?
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse provides tips for protection.

National Center for Victims of Crime: Stalking Resource Center
There are a bunch of different resources here for victims of stalkers.

StalkingVictims.com

A safe place for stalking victims to chat with others, and a big source of helpful information.

Cell-phone-plans.net
Compare cell phones and cell phone plans online

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