The JNU stalking incident has scared us. Being stalked is no funny business, even though Bollywood might love glorifying it. Every one of us has been stalked at some level, the bus stop, college, at the mall, on phone, at work, the list is endless. Many of us are scared of our image in the society and tend to ignore them which gives a stalker a confidence boost.
Keeping in mind the safety of women, AAW tells you 5 ways to deal with a stalker:
Identify the person: The stalker could be your friend, classmate, relative, or an unknown person. Knowing the stalker is very important.
Inform your parents/friends: If you feel the person has been following you, inform your parents or a few friends In the case of the JNU student who was almost killed by her stalker, she never told her parents. No one will judge you for being stalked and you do not need to be scared.
Get some information about them: Get some information about the person who is stalking you. Like if he stalks you from your house to say the Metro station. Make a note of it on your phone or a diary so that you know their stalking pattern.
Go out in groups:If the incident happens around your college or workplace, try hanging out in a group. Usually a group deters the stalker for the fear of being caught.
Take a different route: If your stalker always waits at a particular place, take a different route to your house or work. Also avoid lonely stretches and unlit roads.
Act tough: A soft, feminine persona makes you an easier target. Get talking to your friends (in a stalkers presence) about your relative in police or how your brother beat up a guy following you. You can also for your own safety carry a pepper spray.
Call the police: If the stalking does not stop within 2-3 days, inform the police as you could be dealing with a psycho here.
