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23 Dealing with threats
It was the summer of 2006.
It was a hot summer that year. Porcelain was working at a local department store, evening hours. The city she lived in at the time was very open about Paganism. Her workplace was understanding about her porphyria. Her coworkers nicknamed her the "vampire", but not discriminatingly. Porcelain didn't find it offensive at all.
One day, a customer came through her line while she was cashiering. Just an average day, except they asked when Pagan Pride was supposed to be, because they knew Porcelain was Pagan, for she wore her pentagram right out in the open. A man behind them overheard the conversation, but was quiet. For some reason, Porcelain felt the need to look over at them out of the corner of her eye, and got a chill. She just felt something was off about them. Later, one of her coworkers was joking with her on the sales floor, and used her nickname because the sun was particularly bright that day. "no sun for the vampire today!" Porcelain joked back of course, "Right? Hiss!" They both laughed and went to lunch.
Within the following days, she started feeling like she was being watched. At work, outside her house, getting her daughter off to school, and even while she was grocery shopping. Turned out, Porcelain was being stalked. She began noticing the man at the same places she would go. Porcelain immediately went to the police because not only did she have herself to look after, she had a 6 year old at home.
The police apparently had a file on the man. He had been the person of interest in a homicide case on the other side of the river, an assault, and stalking cases now, in this city. All descriptions matched, but they weren't able to catch him yet. What might you ask, did all the cases have in common? He thought they were vampires. Porcelain was instructed to take time off work, take her child out of the city, and wait for the police to find this man. They suspected she was his next victim.
Scary huh? They found the man staying in an apartment where he could clearly see Porcelain's apartment windows with binoculars. He was arrested. Because she was vigilant, took action and went to the police about the stalker, they were able to catch him before he could hurt anyone else! Porcelain was able to come back to her apartment and move on with her life.
Here are some tips when dealing with threats!
- Document everything. Time, date, place, any details, descriptions, you name it. Even little odd things. If there are writings, posts, emails, print the screen using the right-click print option in your browser with headings included. This will have the time you printed it off as well typed on it when it prints.
- Your phone, same goes for social media today. They leave a voicemail, don't delete it. They text you, lock that message on your phone. Don't delete the numbers in your call log. Screenshot social media messages because some let you delete your replies still - they could threaten you, then remove the message so you won't have evidence.
- Tell someone. Report them to authorities EVERY single time it happens. Tell the admins, group leaders, elders, etc. Hell, tell everyone who will listen. The more people that know about the harassment, bullying, stalking, etc. the better. The more witnesses you have to what's going on, the less attractive target you make. The police might already have a file on them.
I can't say this enough - BLOCK them on every social media site you can get your hands on. Use 'No Contact' techniques. Don't give them a way to get to you or get ahold of you through social media.
- Don't let them make you think you can't talk about it. Threats to do something if you say something are standard with most people who do this. I've had a bully or two in the past and if you show you are afraid, it will just keep encouraging them to do more to you. They want you to be a victim who thinks they don't have any choices.
- If you think you're being stalked. Be vigilant about your surroundings. Never walk alone. Stay out of dark areas. Don't go out at night without friends. Report incidents, and give good descriptions and names if you have them. Keep your phone well charged, and take chargers with you. Call a friend if you absolutely have to do something alone, and stay on the phone with them, so if anything happens - they are a witness. Always tell someone where you are going.
It sounds scary, but you can get through this. You have to be brave and gather some backup. If you have kids, it can be even scarier because you have to protect them as well. But if you don't say something, your kids are in more danger. A person who threatens, bullies or stalks only does it because they can, and online it's easier for them because they think it has no consequences. With today's ever changing technology, online bullying is now possible to prosecute. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't.
It was a hot summer that year. Porcelain was working at a local department store, evening hours. The city she lived in at the time was very open about Paganism. Her workplace was understanding about her porphyria. Her coworkers nicknamed her the "vampire", but not discriminatingly. Porcelain didn't find it offensive at all.
One day, a customer came through her line while she was cashiering. Just an average day, except they asked when Pagan Pride was supposed to be, because they knew Porcelain was Pagan, for she wore her pentagram right out in the open. A man behind them overheard the conversation, but was quiet. For some reason, Porcelain felt the need to look over at them out of the corner of her eye, and got a chill. She just felt something was off about them. Later, one of her coworkers was joking with her on the sales floor, and used her nickname because the sun was particularly bright that day. "no sun for the vampire today!" Porcelain joked back of course, "Right? Hiss!" They both laughed and went to lunch.
Within the following days, she started feeling like she was being watched. At work, outside her house, getting her daughter off to school, and even while she was grocery shopping. Turned out, Porcelain was being stalked. She began noticing the man at the same places she would go. Porcelain immediately went to the police because not only did she have herself to look after, she had a 6 year old at home.
The police apparently had a file on the man. He had been the person of interest in a homicide case on the other side of the river, an assault, and stalking cases now, in this city. All descriptions matched, but they weren't able to catch him yet. What might you ask, did all the cases have in common? He thought they were vampires. Porcelain was instructed to take time off work, take her child out of the city, and wait for the police to find this man. They suspected she was his next victim.
Scary huh? They found the man staying in an apartment where he could clearly see Porcelain's apartment windows with binoculars. He was arrested. Because she was vigilant, took action and went to the police about the stalker, they were able to catch him before he could hurt anyone else! Porcelain was able to come back to her apartment and move on with her life.
Here are some tips when dealing with threats!
- Document everything. Time, date, place, any details, descriptions, you name it. Even little odd things. If there are writings, posts, emails, print the screen using the right-click print option in your browser with headings included. This will have the time you printed it off as well typed on it when it prints.
- Your phone, same goes for social media today. They leave a voicemail, don't delete it. They text you, lock that message on your phone. Don't delete the numbers in your call log. Screenshot social media messages because some let you delete your replies still - they could threaten you, then remove the message so you won't have evidence.
- Tell someone. Report them to authorities EVERY single time it happens. Tell the admins, group leaders, elders, etc. Hell, tell everyone who will listen. The more people that know about the harassment, bullying, stalking, etc. the better. The more witnesses you have to what's going on, the less attractive target you make. The police might already have a file on them.
I can't say this enough - BLOCK them on every social media site you can get your hands on. Use 'No Contact' techniques. Don't give them a way to get to you or get ahold of you through social media.
- Don't let them make you think you can't talk about it. Threats to do something if you say something are standard with most people who do this. I've had a bully or two in the past and if you show you are afraid, it will just keep encouraging them to do more to you. They want you to be a victim who thinks they don't have any choices.
- If you think you're being stalked. Be vigilant about your surroundings. Never walk alone. Stay out of dark areas. Don't go out at night without friends. Report incidents, and give good descriptions and names if you have them. Keep your phone well charged, and take chargers with you. Call a friend if you absolutely have to do something alone, and stay on the phone with them, so if anything happens - they are a witness. Always tell someone where you are going.
It sounds scary, but you can get through this. You have to be brave and gather some backup. If you have kids, it can be even scarier because you have to protect them as well. But if you don't say something, your kids are in more danger. A person who threatens, bullies or stalks only does it because they can, and online it's easier for them because they think it has no consequences. With today's ever changing technology, online bullying is now possible to prosecute. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't.
Here are some links for your viewing pleasure!
How does law enforcement handle threats on social media?
Prosecuting Threats in the Age of Social Media.
Stalking Awareness Website.
Stalking Advice For Victims.
There are 4 Golden Rules that should be followed if you find yourself the victim of stalking:
Have NO contact with the stalker
Tell others
Increase personal protection
Collect evidence
Reporting Stalking To the Police.
National Center for Victims of Crime
1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
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