January is National Stalking Awareness Month: An Article from Dept. of Homeland Security Stop. Think. Connect.

JANUARY IS NATIONAL STALKING AWARENESS MONTH

One in five Americans are affected by cyberstalking, persistent emails, and other unwanted contact according to a study by the National Cyber Security Alliance. This January is National Stalking Awareness Month – a month dedicated to educating the public about the dangers related to the crime of stalking both online and offline. The month also provides a good opportunity to identify the ways Americans can protect themselves online.

The Stalking Resource Center SRC) of the National Center for Victims of Crime, is a Stop.Think.Connect. National Network partner. The SRC defines “stalking” generally as harassing or threatening behavior that an individual engages in repeatedly, such as following a person, appearing at a person's home or place of business, or making harassing phone calls. Cyberstalking follows the same definition; only perpetrators utilize technology to torment their victims. This can involve continuously contacting someone online or e-mailing threatening or hateful messages.

The best defense against cyber stalking is to avoid oversharing information – especially online. Here are some basic tips from the Stop.Think.Connect.™ Campaign, the Department of Homeland Security’s national cyber security awareness program, to keep in mind when sharing online.

1. Don’t broadcast your location. Do not activate location or geo-tagging features on your devices. You could be telling a stalker exactly where to find you.
2. Connect only with people you trust. While some social networks might seem safer for connecting because of the limited personal information shared through them, keep your connections to people you know and trust.
3. Keep certain things private from everyone. Certain information should be kept completely off your social networks. While it’s fun to have everyone wish you a happy birthday, or for long-lost friends to reconnect with you online, listing your date of birth with your full name and address provides potential stalkers with crucial information that could give them further access to you.
4. Be thoughtful about what you share. Be aware that when you share a post, picture or video online, you may also be revealing sensitive information about yourself and others. You don’t own anything you post online, and people could use your information, photos, or content for malicious purposes.

To find out how you can support National Stalking Awareness Month or find out more information on stalking, please visit the National Stalking Resource Center and the National Stalking Awareness Month website.