Your entire life can turn upside down in an instant, all thanks to a few short messages. One of the scariest things that can happen to you is that you find out that someone has been stalking you, literally for years, and you were clueless.
This is what happened to one woman who received a bunch of very unsettling messages about her and her partner. Feeling disturbed, confused, and lost, she reached out to the ‘Am I Overreacting’ community for help. People rushed to weigh in on the messy situation. You’ll find the full story and the internet users’ advice below.
In some cases, you can go about your life not even aware that someone has been stalking you for years
This woman shared the disturbing messages she received from a woman about her and her partner
Image credits: idontknowmyname768
Image credits: pvproductions (not the actual photo)
Image credits: idontknowmyname768
Cyberstalkers aren't always obvious. There are subtle, not just overt, warning signs to look out for
It can be tough to know if someone has been cyberstalking you unless they outright fess up to you. However, there are a few telltale signs that should set off your inner alarm bells.
For example, it is deeply suspicious if a person knows personal details about you that you haven’t shared with them.
“While it is not very difficult to locate a person’s social media profile, there are people who go beyond looking at surface-level information and may track your current location, where you live, who your family members or closest friends are, where you work or go to school, and more,” St. John’s University explains.
“There can also be instances of invasion of privacy by searching for information about you through your Instagram followers. While your social media content may be publicly accessible, searching for detailed information about you may lead to tracking in the future.”
One thing that you can do to protect yourself here is to be cautious about what social media requests you accept. Furthermore, you can limit what kind of content you share publicly. And you can think about setting your profiles to private.
“Before posting, think about what information viewers will now have about you and determine your comfort with it.”
Image credits: Dragana_Gordic (not the actual photo)
Stalking behavior can overlap with controlling and violent tendencies
Another major red flag to look out for is if someone pressures you to share your location or questions you about your whereabouts.
Moreover, you should be worried if someone excessively monitors your daily activities. This is a sign of coercive control.
“They may pressure you into unlocking your phone, sharing your passwords, and monitoring your social media by dictating what you can post/share. Coercive control intends to assert dominance over you and make you feel as if you cannot be trusted on your own. You may often feel trapped when using online media platforms.”
If things get very bad, a cyberstalker might even start threatening to share your personal information or private details in public. “These threats pressure you to comply with demands and silence you and your freedom to use social media and to feel safe.”
How do you protect your boundaries and push back against toxic behavior from strangers to casual acquaintances and close friends? Have you ever been stalked, and if so, how did you handle the situation?
What advice would you give anyone who is being stalked online, so that they can protect themselves? What steps do you take to feel safe at home and in public? Share your advice and experiences in the comments at the bottom of this post.
Image credits: syda_productions (not the actual photo)
The story disturbed many netizens and sparked an important conversation about online safety
Here's the advice the internet had to share with the couple
