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FollowItApp: Support with stalking
If you are experiencing or have experienced stalking, the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre (SWRC) is here to support you. We understand that stalking can have a significant and detrimental impact upon your life and wellbeing.
It can affect you psychologically, emotionally, physically and financially. It can be difficult to know what you can do about your situation and where you can go for support.
You may be reluctant to report your experiences to the police for fear that you will not be taken seriously or that nothing will be done. Family and friends may not understand what you are going through and, may not know how best to support you and offer advice. The experience of being stalked can be extremely stressful and overwhelming. However, there are things you can do to increase your control over the situation.
Know your rights and access support
In Scotland, the law defines stalking as a ‘course of conduct’ crime. This means conduct over two or more incidents that make a person feel fear and alarm. The incidents do not need to be criminal in nature; it is the course of conduct that is criminal where it causes a person to feel fear or alarm. For example, it could be that you are sent an unwanted bouquet of flowers, and you keep getting unwanted messages on social media. If these two incidents came from the same person and they made you feel frightened or alarmed, then it is a crime.
If you want to explore options to stop stalking, call our helpline. We also have a written legal guide to help you understand your rights.
The Scottish Women’s Rights Centre can provide legal advice and support if you are being stalked. We can also support you if you decide to report to the police. You can call our helpline to discuss your situation and how you are coping with the stalking in a confidential, supportive and non-judgemental space. Our Advocacy workers can talk you through your options and work with you to create a safety plan. They can also support you to access legal advice from one of our solicitors, for example on the legal protections that you may be able to request to keep you and your children safe. You can find more information about protective orders here.
Keep a log - FollowitApp
If you are experiencing stalking, we often advise that you keep a log of incidents. This can help even if you are unsure whether you are experiencing stalking or not. Stalker behaviour often escalates slowly, with small actions which when viewed in isolation can seem harmless but when but when taken together demonstrate behaviours intended to frighten and intimidate. You can find out more about stalking behaviours and how to identify them here. Keeping a record of what is happening can help you to identify stalking behaviour and pinpoint what is happening to you. It can also help you to understand if there is a pattern of behaviour or if the situation is escalating.
This is why the SWRC have created FollowItApp (FIA), a mobile app for smartphones, designed with special security features so only you can access the information you record. FollowitApp allows you to record details such as the time and location of an incident, whether the stalker is known to you, how you felt, and any related screenshots, videos or photos. This helps to build up a picture of events and their impact. Using the app means you have the information in one place and that it is stored safely, so the logs are there even if you can’t access your phone.
You do not have to be planning to report to the police to use FIA but the logs can be helpful if you decide to do so. They are securely stored for up to 15 years but you can request for them to be deleted at any time. You can easily download the log yourself on your phone or you can request SWRC do this and provide it to the police. Alongside keeping a log of incidents, you may also consider retaining items that may provide the police with evidence of stalking behaviour e.g. unwanted gifts.
Please be aware that you do not need to have made a log or collected evidence to make a report to the police. They only need to have a reasonable belief that a crime has taken place in order to investigate. You can record incidents using FollowItApp, on your phone or in a notebook. Whichever way you choose to keep a log, make sure it is the safest option for you.
Online security
Whether or not you are experiencing stalking online, it is always a good idea to keep your online accounts as secure as possible. These are some resources that can help you secure your accounts:
- The Revenge Porn Helpline has a guide to privacy settings in most social media platforms.
- Report Harmful Content has guides on how to report different types of abuse through social media platforms.
- The Cybersmile Foundation has a list of online safety tips to improve your online experience.
- The Cyber Helpline has many resources on recovering from cyberattacks, such as hacking, malicious software and more.
- The Electronic Frontier Foundation has some tips on making your zoom account stronger if you are using it for video calls.
Stalking can be a very isolating experience, particularly if the abuse is not obvious to others. Whether it is a helpline, a person you trust, or both, talking about what you are experiencing is a way to relieve some of the stress and anxiety and also to improve your safety. Please know the SWRC and other services are here to support you no matter what your personal circumstances are.
Reporting to the police and getting support
We understand that for many women the idea of contacting the police can be a cause of great concern. However, if you feel like you are at immediate risk of harm from your stalker and your life is in danger, we encourage you to call 999. Use the silent option if you cannot speak on the phone: call 999, answer the questions by coughing or tapping, then dial 55 if prompted.
If you would like to make a report to the police and you are not in immediate danger you can call 101 or use this online form to report stalking.
The SWRC legal guide on reporting stalking to the police may contain information that is helpful to you and you can always call our helpline for further support and to talk about any questions or concerns that you may have about contacting the police.
Stalking behaviours are used to frighten, control and isolate you. It can be helpful to share some of the feelings and stresses of experiencing stalking with a person that you trust. This can improve your safety and help you to make plans if the stalking behaviours change or escalate. However, we understand that it might not always be easy to talk about the abuse with people you know. Below is a list of some organisations that can offer you practical advice and support. Being able to build up a network of support can help you to cope with the effects of stalking and feel less alone.
Scottish Women’s Rights Centre
- Provides free and confidential legal information, advice and advocacy services for women.
- A range of legal guides and information is available at: https://www.scottishwomensrightscentre.org.uk/
- Freephone: 08088 010 789 (Mon 1.00pm – 4pm, Tues 10.00am – 1.00pm Wed 1.00pm – 4pm and Fri 10.00am – 1pm)
- FollowItApp, is an incident recording app for smartphones available from the SWRC to log and record incidents of stalking & designed to complement Scots Law, for more information see: https://followitapp.org.uk/
- This is a confidential service which can provide advice and information about stalking, the law and safety planning.
- Freephone: 0808 802 0300 (9.30am to 4pm Mon to Fri, apart from wed. 9.30am – 8pm wed)
- Provides a daily helpline and email support for anyone affected by sexual violence. They often support survivors of stalking and can also put you in touch with local Rape Crisis centres or other services for ongoing support.
- Freephone: 08088 01 03 02 (5pm to midnight, 7 days a week)
Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
- Provides confidential information and support to anyone affected by domestic abuse.
- Freephone: 0800 027 1234 (24 hours, 7 days a week)
- Gives free and confidential support and practical help for victims and witnesses of crime.
- Freephone: 0800 160 1985 (Mon – Fri 8am-8pm)
- Provides support and advice to address all aspects of the experience of being stalked.
- Email support@actionagainststalking.org
- Freephone: 0800 820 2427 (voicemail service where you can leave a message and receive a call back)
- Provides advice, support and safe accommodation for women (and their children) who have been abused by their partner or ex-partner, including stalking. They can recommend local groups in your area for ongoing support and access to refuge accommodation.
- Phone: 0131 226 6606
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