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You are listening to Illuminating Hope, a podcast
of Hope House. Welcome back to Illuminating Hope,
a podcast of Hope House. I'm Tina Johnson. Before
we begin, I want to share that today's episode
includes discussion of stalking behaviors and
retaliation -based harm. Please listen in a way
that feels safe for you and take breaks if needed.
Also, before we begin, I want to be very clear
about the purpose of this series. Understanding
the different types of stalking is not about
excusing or sympathizing with abusive behavior.
The information exists, so is survival. Survivors
can better recognize patterns, strengthen safety
planning, and trust their instincts. There is
never an excuse for stalking. Responsibility
always lies with the person choosing the behavior,
never the survivor. In our last episode, we talked
about the rejected stalker. That's someone who's
driven by the end of a close relationship. Today,
we're talking about a very different type, the
resentful stalker. This form of stalking isn't
about wanting connection. It's more about a payback.
So what is resentful stalking? A clear definition
is resentful stalking arises when a person believes
they have been mistreated, humiliated, What's
important to understand is that the injustice
the stalker feels may be real to them. but that
does not make their behavior justified. Stalking
is a choice, but untreated can intensify fixation,
suspicion, and blame. Unlike rejected stalking,
which can be emotionally conflicted, resentful
stalking is often very focused. The goal is revenge.
The reward is power, control, and instilling
fear. Something to remember, for the resentful
stalker, inducing fear becomes a way to feel
strong, righteous, and in control. The justified
victim's narrative recognizes manipulation and
minimization. Resentful stalkers often present
themselves as victims who are simply fighting
back when the truth is they are seeking to gain
and maintain power and control. They may frame
their behavior by standing up to an oppressive
person, system, or organization, but account
accountability matters. Feeling wrong does not
give anyone permission to intimidate, monitor,
or terrorize another person. So what can rejected
stalking look like? This type of stalking may
include repeated complaints, monitoring, harassment,
or attempts to publicly shame the victim. The
behavior escalates because fear reinforces the
stalker's sense of power. Just a quick validation
listeners, especially if you are a victim of
this type of stalking. If someone is making you
afraid in the name of justice, this is not justice.
This is abuse. I want to empower you if you're
experiencing this type of behavior. Trust your
instincts. You do not have to prove someone's
version of the event is wrong in order to deserve
safety. In our next episode, we'll talk about
the intimacy -seeking stalker. This type of stalker
is the most often misunderstood and dangerously
romanticized. Persistence is not love when it
ignores consent. The intimacy seeking stalker
mistakes fixation for connection and fantasy
for reality. Let's talk about why this behavior
is dangerous and never harmless. If you or someone
you know is experiencing stalking support is
available through your local police department,
domestic violence organizations like Hope House,
or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at
1 -800 -799 -SAFE. Thank you for listening to
Illuminating Hope, a podcast of Hope House.