January is Stalking Awareness Month, and this year marks the first-ever Stalking Awareness Day of Action on Jan. 18.
This year is the 20th anniversary of Stalking Awareness Month. Its theme is “Know It, Name It, Stop It,” emphasizing the importance of recognizing stalking behaviors.
Lumina Alliance is a non-profit organization based in San Luis Obispo County. It focuses on advocacy and education around sexual and intimate partner violence. Currently, it provides educational resources in schools and the community.
Jane Pomeroy is the chief communications officer for the group. She said that it’s important to believe victims when they say they have experienced stalking behaviors.
“When they do tell somebody it's somebody that they know and love and trust. And so if that person responds in a negative way, they'll probably never tell anybody again, they probably won't seek services and they probably won't report to law enforcement,” Pomeroy said. “So it actually keeps our whole community safer if we believe victims when they tell us that they are being stalked.”
According to Pomeroy, signs of stalking include unwanted text messages and phone calls, unwanted deliveries or any other undesired patterned behavior. She said this can cause victims to develop anxiety, depression and trauma.
Advocates with Lumina Alliance are trained in recognizing indications of stalking. They also help individuals in crisis create a safety plan and weigh the options for reporting their stalker to the police.
“We're not going to make decisions for people. We're going to support them in their decision-making process,” Pomeroy said.
During Stalking Awareness Day of Action, individuals can wear sequins or sparkles as a way to “shine a light” on stalking. Pomeroy said Lumina Alliance will post photos of people wearing sequins to commemorate the day.
For more information on Lumina Alliance, visit their website.
