Paula was biting her nails, fidgeting with her hair and drinking a glass of soda simultaneously while watching television one night. Her stomach gurgled and her appetite just had not been the same lately. She had lost some weight, enough where the girls at work asked her if she was ill.
No, Paula was not illshe was a nervous wreck and had been for three months; she was being stalked. You see Paula had met a man at work whom she never dated, never led on and never did anything to intrigue or entice.
The strange, quiet man just started calling her, getting her number from a work roster sheet, showing up at her apartment complex (God knows where he found her address) and writing her off-the-wall love letters.
At first Paula let it go, did nothing and hoped it would blow over, like a bad windstorm. However, nothing changed and the compulsive behavior continued. Calls, visits and letters persisted.
Finally, she called the police who told her there wasn't much they could do. An officer told her to document any and all encounters. Sound advice. However, how about in the meantime Paula thought, how do I get over the awful anxiety I feel every day? And what if he goes over the deep end and kills me?
Paula was overwhelmed. She decided to call a local Rape Crisis Center and find out if they could help. And help they did. Paula met a supportive staffer who guided her in all of her encounters and advised her from A to Z in what she should do. She was there for her in every step of the way.
Paula utilized a restraining order against her stalker and it worked. Even though restraining orders, statistically speaking, do not work as often as hoped for in stalking cases. Her stalker stopped his obsessive behaviors and finally stopped bothering herhe simply faded out of her life.
Slowly, Paula started getting a little calmer, started getting an appetite again and started actually smiling again.
There are many similar stories such as Paula's. Stalking is a terrible ordeal and one that men experience quite often too. Whether you're a man or a woman get the help and advice of professionals. Call a local Rape Crisis or Battered Women's Shelter. There, they have experienced staffers who have the knowledge to help youafter all; you really do deserve to smile again.
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