Graphic courtesy of SPARC (Stalking Prevention, Awareness and Resource Center)
Eve’s Fund is supporting National Stalking Awareness Month
Do you know that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have experienced stalking victimization in their lives? Victims are most often stalked by someone they know: a current or former intimate partner, an acquaintance, or family member. To increase awareness of the crime of stalking, which includes cyberstalking, and to help victims of this form of domestic violence, January was proclaimed National Stalking Awareness Month in 2004. Native Americans are disproportionately impacted by the crime of stalking, especially Native women.
Nearly half of Native women have been the victim of stalking, the highest prevalence among women of any race or ethnicity. Stalking is a form of abuse, causing physical, physiological and social harm, and stalking often leads to threats and physical violence — or worse. The White House’s Proclamation on National Stalking Awareness Month 2022 provides a well written and sobering assessment of this issue. This slogan for National Stalking Awareness Month provides another call to action: “KNOW IT. NAME IT. STOP IT.”
Eve’s Fund answers the call to action and commits to advocating and supporting victims of stalking.
Thanks to the generosity of our individual, corporate and foundation donors, Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives will work to increase awareness of the all too frequent criminal acts of stalking and will aid victims through our community partners. We have broadened our Hope and Wellness initiatives to include financial support of other non-profit organizations which directly assist and advocate for those affected by stalking and other forms of domestic violence in Native communities. This month, on behalf of the Friends of Eve’s Fund, we made a donation of $1,000 to StrongHearts Native Helpline and we intend to support this organization on an annual basis as part of our Community Initiatives Program, with the goal of joining others in working to eradicate stalking nationwide.
Photo courtesy of Native News Online
After reading the personal and powerful article, “Recognizing National Stalking Awareness Month:My Story,” by Caroline LaPorte and published by Native News Online, Eve’s Fund learned of the important work of the StrongHearts Native Helpline. Ms. LaPorte became involved in establishing this nonprofit organization as a result of her experience as a stalking victim, and she currently serves as its chairperson. Please share this hotline with anyone you think might be the victim of stalking or domestic violence and abuse and visit the website to get additional resources and read stories written by survivors. Please call StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE (1-844-762-8483) and/or their website as a resource.
What is stalking?
SPARC defines stalking as ” A pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.” Acts of stalking include: telephone harassment, being followed, receiving unwanted gifts, and other similar forms of intrusive behavior leading to victims feeling frightened and harmed. As President Biden highlighted in the White House Proclamation, cyberstalking, which refers to the use of the internet and other technologies to harass or stalk another person online, is rapidly increasing. This online harassment, which is an extension of cyberbullying and in-person stalking, can take the form of e-mails, text messages, social media posts, and more and is often methodical, deliberate, and persistent.
Stalking Statistics
Eve’s Fund applauds the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program established by the University of New Hampshire and commends its commitment to ending sexual violence among college students. Every year, during January, they work toward educating people on the signs and effects of stalking. Please visit their program page here to learn more about the insidiousness of stalking. Also, here is a stalking awareness fact sheet, put out by the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC), you can download.
Please join us in eradicating stalking and domestic violence against Native Americans!
Please click below to donate through our secure online Donation portal or you may send a check to:
Eve’s Fund
PO Box 3592
Newport, RI 02840
PS. Many companies support causes that are important to their employees by matching employee charitable contributions. Find out if your company will match, double, or even triple your gift to Eve’s Fund.
PPS. If you are active on Facebook, you can also donate to Eve’s Fund there without incurring any transaction fees. Here is a link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EvesFund.
Don’t miss out on our not so frequent news updates—Subscribe here:
