Stalking: Actions for Advocates

The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing has published an excellent guide on stalking.  Taking a multidisciplinary, victim-centered approach, the guide outlines some of the important roles that advocates play in helping stalking victims to attain safety.  The following suggested advocacy actions are taken from this guide.

• Develop safety plans with victims.
• Maintain frequent contact with victims and provide support to them.
• Assist with the process of careful and thorough documentation of stalking incidents.
• Provide stalking logs.
• Work with victims to develop supportive networks.
• Assess victim needs and assist with access to services.
• Provide information to help victims determine whether protective orders may be useful.
• Help police develop more effective anti-stalking policies and train officers to apply them.
• Equip stalking victims with practical tools (such as disposable cameras) to help them document events.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary service providers to offer victims a broad range of services that meet their legal, safety, housing, mental and physical health, economic, and privacy needs.

Additional Online Resources

• Center for Problem-Oriented Policing Stalking Guide
• Stalking Advocacy Annotated Resource List
• Stalking Safety Planning