The month of January is designated as National Stalking Awareness Month.  As such, SUNY Poly’s Title IX Working Group would like to take the opportunity to provide some important information on stalking.  Stalking is typically defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.  The Stalking Resource Center estimates that 7.5 million people are stalked each year in the United States.

Did you know that the majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know as opposed to a stranger?  Stalking can also be violent in nature and behaviors can escalate over time.

Some examples of a stalking behavior:

• Follows you and shows up in places unwanted
• Leaves unwanted telephone calls and messages (text or voice)
• Watches or follows from a distance
• Monitors your phone call or computer use
• Uses technology, like hidden cameras or GPS, to track where you go
• Threatens to hurt you, your family and/or your friends.
• Drives by or hangs out at your home, school or work
• Other actions that control, track or frighten you

For more information on stalking, please read the Stalking Fact Sheet:

https://www.victimsofcrime.org/docs/default-source/src/stalking-fact-sheet-2015_eng.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Additionally, The Stalking Resource Center provides valuable resources for stalking victim/survivors,including guidance on safety planning:

http://www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center

SUNY Poly’s definition of stalking is included in the SUNY Poly Student Handbook ( https://sunypoly.edu/pdf/student_handbook.pdf, Page 40). Stalking is a crime and can be reported to University Police (Utica: 315-792-7111, Albany:  518-437-6800) to pursue the criminal process.  Students and employees can also report incidents of stalking to SUNY Poly Title IX Coordinators (contact information below), who can provide resources, accommodations, and information on the college judicial process.  For additional reporting options, please see SUNY Poly’s Sexual Violence Response Policy and Options for Confidentially Disclosing Sexual Violence available on our website at https://sunypoly.edu/titleix/policies-procedures.

SUNY Poly Title IX Working Group Website:  www.sunypoly.edu/titleix/ Email:  TitleIX@sunypoly.edu

SUNY Poly Title IX Coordinators:

Rhonda Haines Title IX Coordinator VP for Human Resources and Special Projects NFE Suite 2100 (Albany Site) Kunsela Hall, A011 (Utica Site) (518) 956-7362 hainesr@sunypoly.edu rhaines@sunypoly.edu

Stacey Genther Deputy Title IX Coordinator Health Educator Oriskany Hall, Suite B (Utica Site) (315) 792-7808 stacey.genther@sunypoly.edu

Katie Tynan Deputy Title IX Coordinator AVP for Benefits and Leave Administration NFE Suite 2100 (Albany Site) Kunsela Hall, A011 (Utica Site) (518) 956-7317 tynank@sunypoly.edu ktynan@sunypoly.edu