Wednesday marked the twentieth annual National Stalking Awareness Month, a call to
action to recognize and respond to this dangerous victimization.
According to the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC), stalking
can have a behavioral as well as a criminal definition. Behaviorally, stalking refers to extended
patterns of behavior that would cause a “reasonable person” to feel fear or emotional
distress. Furthermore, these behaviors often incite fear due to the context of the victim’s
situation, making it clear that they are being specifically targeted.
In 2023, Atlantic County saw the highest number of stalking/harassment cases in the last
three years with 324 cases reported—almost 100 more cases than the year prior.