No one wants to be a stalking victim but it can happen to any of us. Stalking is a common problem and often times, can escalate into unspeakable violence.
From a business standpoint, the stress, worry and fear can take its toll on productivity if you or an employee becomes a victim of stalking. A few facts about stalking in the workplace as noted in a report released by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety:
- Anti-stalking legislation exists in all 50 states and at the federal level, and organizational leaders must educate themselves about these laws.
- Employers can be held liable for damages resulting from their failure to prevent or minimize the risk posed by the crime.
- Stalking acts can become vicious and life-threatening.
- Many times violence potential red flags are present before tragedy strikes.
- Stalking targets and other workplace victims can experience a full range of negative outcomes, including psychological trauma, assault and murder.
- Any organizational member can become the target of a relational or revenge stalker.
- The sooner that the stalking problem is nipped in the bud, the greater the chances are that havoc resulting from stalking can be reduced.
With January now being declared National Stalking Awareness month, we thought this would be a great time to offer some tips on how to keep yourself safe not only in person but online as well. Share these tips with a friend, family member or co-worker and stay safe!
Turn off geolocation tagging on your tweets: We all love to share the most random details of our day on Twitter but with geolocation tagging, those random tweets also include the location said random activity took place–and the location details can be frighteningly accurate. To avoid giving a stalker up-to-the-minute details of your whereabouts, make sure this option is turned off on Twitter.com as well as any Twitter apps you use on your mobile devices.
Sign up for Domain Privacy when purchasing a domain: When registering a new domain for your business, make sure to use a domain name registrar that offers domain privacy. Without it, your personal information such as phone number, email address and address will be available in the WHOIS database. Domain Privacy typically comes at an additional cost but the peace of mind is worth it.
Obtain an unpublished and unlisted phone number: LegalVoice.org provided a great list of anti-stalking tips and among them was this one. “The phone company lists names and numbers in directory assistance (411) and publishes them in the phone book. Make sure you delete your information from both places,” the tip read. “Do not print your phone number on your checks. Give out a work number or use an alternate number such as a voice mail number when asked – that is, a message-only number that is used only to receive recorded messages from callers.”
Don’t “check in” at sensitive places on FourSquare: FourSquare is all about checking in so others can see the cool places you visit but this can be a stalker’s dream come true. Avoid checking in at the places you spend the most time at or at sensitive locations like your home or your office. A stalker could use this information to not only gather your address information but to learn your behavioral patterns based on the times you check in to these locations.