Know When to Get a Restraining Order

Is Your Ex Stalking You? Know When to Get a Restraining Order

Breaking up with someone is not easy; and it is even made harder if the person you’re cutting ties with has some sort of emotional or psychiatric problem that pushes him or her to stalk you. If you have separated from an ex-partner or a boyfriend or girlfriend, keep your guard up and observe if you are being stalked. The thing about stalking is that it could lead to violence, especially when the stalker has some emotional or mental issues. By knowing if you’re being stalked or not, you can take measures to protect yourself and your family.

What Is Stalking?

When you hear the word stalking, it calls to mind a person who stealthily follows someone. But stalking isn’t limited to trailing. Some stalkers also initiate communication, and unwanted communication is frequent. Whereas a normal person would call you 2 or 5 times a day, a stalker could call his victim a couple of times per hour. He could also be tracking his victim’s webpage or Facebook page, and he will most likely try to chat with his victim or send emails or other messages. Some stalkers also give their victims gifts. These could be items that are significant to the stalker or his victim. Sometimes, stalkers are quite extreme, and they could send their victims dead animals and other threatening items, like bullet casings or bloody knives, to convey a message. Since a victim is closely watched, her stalker will most likely be present in the places that she also frequents. Stalkers silently watch their victims, and their very presence is a threat.

If you or someone you know has noticed any of these behaviors exhibited by their exes or even individuals that they do not know, consult a lawyer, the police or other groups that aid victims of stalking or harassment in order to get ideas on how to manage the problem. Stalkers should be taken seriously because it’s difficult to determine when stalkers could become violent.

What Is A Restraining Order?

Restraining orders are known by other names, like personal protection order (PPO) or apprehended violence order. A restraining order is a court order that is aimed to protect certain individuals, even business organizations, from other persons or groups. Restraining orders are best known for their use in relation to domestic abuse cases, wherein the court provides this document in order to protect an abused individual. The restraining order dictates and limits certain behavior. For instance, it could state how much physical distance should be between a stalker and his victim. It could prevent communication, and other actions, such as sending gifts.

Issues Surrounding Restraining Orders

Although a restraining order helps in keeping most stalkers away, some individuals are just too determined, and a piece of paper might not be enough to deter them. This is where a restraining order can be detrimental. Because it gives a victim a false sense of security, she might stop being attentive and observant of her surroundings, which could make her an easy prey.

In some cases, a stalker is impelled to act on his fantasies once a restraining order comes out. He might turn violent or he might kidnap his victim if he feels that his relationship with that person is threatened. Finally, restraining orders aren’t that effective in keeping hardened criminals or psychotics at bay. People who have invested a lot of time, money and energy in studying their victims will probably not give up that easily.