Are you being stalked by someone at work?

This year, the focus is on ‘working without fear’ to highlight stalking at work, something that may be difficult for victims to come to terms with and report.

One in 20 callers to the National Stalking Helpline are stalked by a colleague or an ex-colleague

In a quarter of cases, a stalker will present at the victim’s workplace.

50 per cent of stalking victims reduce or stop work as a consequence of being stalked

Here’s one scenario...

You got the job you wanted after a hard slog in interview and you’ve settled into the team.

But there’s one person who you just can’t work out – although he’s already asked you out on a date.

Eventually you give in to his persistence and go out with him. But you’re still not sure because he seems so intense.

You decide that you don’t want to go on any more dates with him, he’s not right for you. He tries to get you to reconsider but you stand by your decision.

You wake up to several text messages asking you to go back out with him…

You leave work, go to your car and find flowers on the windscreen…

He seems to turn up wherever you go…

He leaves messages for you telling you that he knows where you are…

He confronts you when you are alone…

He turns up in your street…

He gets into your house…

Where it goes from there can vary widely but there have been cases of stalking which at its worst have resulted in sexual assaults, violence and even murder.

Many stalkers will be ex-partners of female victims of stalking who may have also experienced domestic abuse within the relationship

These are just some of the facts but another fact, which is sometimes overlooked, is that stalking is a criminal offence.

Stalking can include:

Nuisance phone calls

Sending excessive emails

Death threats

Monitoring behaviour

Making false complaints to employers and police

Unwanted contact through social media

Criminal damage

Blackmail

Physical and sexual assault

Computer hacking

DI Peter Quinn from Nottinghamshire Police Public Protection said: “Stalking can take many forms which can sometimes escalate into violence. And the effects of stalking often stay with a victim long after the ordeal is over.

“Stalking was made a specific offence in 2012 and we want to ensure that people know that they can report it to Nottinghamshire Police.”

Show your support for National Stalking Awareness Day on Twitter #NSAD14 #WithoutFear.

Call the helpline on 0808 8020300 or for more information CLICK HERE