well basically theres this man that has been stalking me since i was 10 (i am 13 now) the first time i saw him he pulled up in a van saying 'you have a nice figure' at the time i didnt know what a figure was so i said 'thank you' then he asked for my number and i knew that was wrong so i started walking away then he started following me in his van so then i started to run then he started driving faster so then i ran all the way to the bus stop where i knew i was safe (all at the age of 10) then growning up i would see him all the time trying to start a conversation i would ignore him but one day it was dark and i was coming back from being out with my friends adter school, he was standing there as if he was waiting for me then he started approaching me, saying "are you scared of me" in a laughy way because he knew i was scared "i said no" then he was like "you know me right, we are great neighbours, i know where you live" i was veryyyy scared so i just started walking really fast this was all in the dark where no one was around and the last time i saw him was 2 weeks ago it was 11pm i was coming back from my friends party and then i saw him in his car, parking yelling "what you doing out so late" so i started walking really fast then he reversed out of his parking spot and started following me with his car i started to run until i reached home, im really scared to tell anyone, im scared he might rape me one day or abuse me. what should i do?
Sam
Hi there,
Stalking is when a person repeatedly follows or harasses someone in a way that makes them feel upset and/or scared. Stalking is wrong and it’s also a crime, which means it's against the law for this man to wait around for you, follow you or approach you in the ways that he does.
You've done all the right things by not giving the man your phone number, walking away to a place of safety like the bus stop, or making your way home as quickly and as safely as you can.
It’s important to keep safe by having friends with you when you're out. And it’s best if you arrange how to get home in advance if you know you are going to be out late. It’s also important to be aware of your surroundings and avoid shortcuts down badly-lit streets, parks and alleyways. Make sure that you have your phone with you and that it’s charged up. It’s always free to call the emergency services on 999 and Childline on 0800 1111.
You should start keeping a record of what happens on each occasion when you see the man. You could also record any details like where you were, what he was wearing, information about the way he looks, details of his car or van (like the colour and registration number), whether there were any witnesses, what he said to you, what you did and how you felt. Having this information could be really useful for the police as it would help them to track him down.
If you feel able to, you can report the stalking to the police, either by phoning 101 or through Crimestoppers.
Telling someone might be scary but perhaps now is the right time to think about getting some help. It can be really hard to explain to someone what is going on and wondering how they will react and what might happen. Our tips on asking an adult for help can help you to decide who to speak to and what to say.
If you'd like to talk more about the stalking or to work out how to tell someone about it, you could contact a Childline counsellor.
Take care for now.
Sam
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