Stalking Awareness Month highlights a dangerous form of abuse

MOSES LAKE — January is Stalking Awareness Month and those who work with victims want people to know that it is a serious issue and there is help available. “Stalking is usually a factor in a domestic violence victim’s experience,” said Abraham Tapia, a legal and community advocate with New Hope, which provides domestic violence support in Grant and Adams counties. “Following them around town, trying to access their social media.” The month is meant to draw attention to an especially dangerous form of abuse. One out of three women in the U.S. will experience stalking at some point in their lives, according to statistics from the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center, and one in six men. More than a third of stalking cases involve a current or former intimate partner.