Don’t Be Lax with a Stalker, Take Action with These Southern Utah Resources

To start, if you feel like you’re being stalked or experiencing stalker-like behavior, please call your local authorities to receive assistance in resolving your situation. You have no obligation to endure any kind of stalker, but you need to take action to make a change.

Since January is Stalking Awareness Month for many police stations across the United States, the St. George Police Department is providing statistics on just how common these types of situations are in Southern Utah.

A post on the SGPD Facebook page said, “In 2023, Victim Advocates from SGPD assisted 228 people who indicated that they were victims of stalking. Our advocates assisted 336 people with Stalking Injunctions and Protective Orders.”

I spoke with Public Information Officer Tiffany Mitchell of the SGPD to clarify these numbers. For instance, what qualifies as a stalking case in the eyes of the police?

Officer Mitchell said, “It’s two or more acts directed out or towards a specific individual. So, that’s where it has to start. There’s got to be two or more acts that define stalking, and it can be that someone is there following them, they’re observing them, they’re monitoring their moves, or they’re taking photos of them.”

Once a victim can identify they’re being stalked, the next step can go a few different ways. One thing you shouldn’t do is confront the stalker as that can lead to a potentially dangerous situation. Instead, Officer Mitchell recommends contacting the Victims Services Division of the SGPD to receive instructions on how to handle the situation best.

Those in need of the Victim Services Division can go through the SGPD website, or they can call 435-627-4399. This type of behavior isn’t known to go away with time, it requires action. You deserve much better than dealing with a stalker. Stay safe out there.