How do you know if a person is stalking you before it becomes a big deal?
When you meet someone new, you might think their behaviour is cute and they are really into you, but you might be harbouring a stalker.
Here are the early signs you have a stalker
1. Constant communication
It may look like they are giving you a lot of attention, but it is a red flag if you meet someone new and they call you so many times in a day—like at least twice in the morning, three times in the afternoon, and five times at night. They also send multiple messages; when you don’t respond, they send more messages. Avoid such people; it shows a lack of boundaries.
2. They know things about you, but you didn’t tell them
They know where you live, work, grew up, your family members, the time you had an accident as a child, and personal information about you that you never gave out. Normal people will like to get to know you personally, not through snooping around.
3. Tracking your movements
They are constantly asking you where you are, what you are doing, or whether you are following your social media religiously so they can track your movements. They might even come to meet you where you are or “accidentally” bump into you. There’s normal care, and then there is stalker behaviour, which is a form of extreme control.
4. Staged helpfulness and showing up unannounced
If you keep meeting them at your favourite spots, then they are stalking you. Avoid staged "helpfulness." Stalkers may stage scenarios in which they appear to be your saviour, such as "finding" lost belongings that they hid themselves so they could show up unannounced.
5. Unwanted gifts
You may have stated that you don’t want a romantic relationship or that you want to take things slow. Then they start buying you unwanted gifts and sending you money—all in a bid to win your affection. If you keep getting anonymous package deliveries to your home or workplace, congratulations! You have a stalker.
If you sense you have a stalker, report the person to the police, but they might not listen to you until you have concrete proof. So, try to avoid situations where you are living or walking alone.
