January is National Stalking Awareness Month. On first blush, you might be thinking to yourself, “Stalking needs an awareness month?!” That’s a fair question, but let’s look at the statistics.

Stalking is a serious crime that has a serious impact on its victims. One study found that 18.3 million women and nearly 6.5 million men in the United States have been victims of stalking. Out of those affected by this crime, roughly 61 percent of female victims and 44 percent of male victims were stalked by a current or former intimate partner.

Stalking is a crime that is often closely linked to domestic violence.

In Maine, domestic violence represents a large portion of assaults reported to law enforcement. In 2012, nearly half of all reported assaults throughout the state involved domestic violence, which represented an increase from the previous year. In 2013, 11 of the 24 homicides in Maine were domestic violence-related. That statistic was consistent with the average of this state, where 45-55 percent of homicides are typically domestic violence-related.

From those figures, we can conclude two things: 1) stalking is a significant crime, and 2) if you are being stalked, then you probably know the identity of your stalker.

Stalking under Maine law focuses on the conduct of the perpetrator and then the impact it has on the victim. It consists of very broad language that doesn’t limit the type of conduct, but it does require that the conduct occur more than once.

I have prosecuted many stalking cases over the years and I can say that it comes in many forms. Repeatedly receiving unwanted telephone calls, voice, or text messages are the most commonly experienced stalking tactics reported by victims.

Stalking also presents itself in the form of assaults, threats, vandalism, burglary, animal abuse, as well as unwanted cards, gifts or visits.

Interestingly, our stalking statute specifically includes gaining access to the victim’s medical, financial or other identifying or confidential information. I once tried a case where the defendant left a message on the victim’s phone suggesting that he was going to use a very specific set of numbers for his next lottery ticket. The numbers were the victim’s Social Security number which the defendant should not have had. The trial did not work out so well for the defendant. It also did not work out so well for me, because the defendant began stalking me after the trial.

Although I was more annoyed than anything else, the impact of stalking on victims cannot be understated. Victims of stalking often suffer from anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression at a much higher rate than the general population as a result.

Additionally, one in eight employed stalking victims lose time from work, and one in seven stalking victims move as a result of their victimization.

Nearly half of all stalking victims suffer from fear of not knowing what will happen next, and many fear that the stalking will never stop.

The very nature of stalking is insidious. Objectively, each episode of the defendant’s conduct may not appear to be significant. One harassing phone call or a single passing on the street does not seem too menacing. It is only when you realize that the victim has been repeatedly subjected to the conduct that you can comprehend its tortuous effect.

Also, the significance of the conduct can usually carry more meaning to the victim than it would to the average person. The result is that the victim can often be left feeling isolated and hopeless.

It is a horrible way to live.

Surprisingly, there is no standard psychological or physical profile that stalkers fit into. Maybe you have been standing in line somewhere and thought to yourself, “that guy looks like a stalker.” However, the stalkers I have prosecuted look disturbingly normal, with no outward appearance to alert the average person.

It would be easy if people wore a sign announcing his or her stalking intentions, but unfortunately most victims don’t recognize they are in trouble until it is too late.

The goal of National Stalking Awareness Month is to bring the issues associated with stalking to everyone’s attention. That heightened awareness of the crime within the community will enhance the ability of law enforcement to identify and combat it, as well as the ability of the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute it.

If more people are able to recognize and alert law enforcement of stalking, then we have a better chance to protect victims and prevent tragedies.

If you are being stalked, there are services available to assist you. Please contact Safe Voices at 1-800-559-2927, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services at 1-800-871-7741, or your local law enforcement agency for more information.

Andrew Robinson is the district attorney for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties and is a member of the Androscoggin Domestic Violence Task Force.