Finding out that someone is watching your every move is a total nightmare. That bad feeling in your gut can quickly turn into a constant state of fear that follows you at home and work.
If you are looking for what to do if someone is stalking you, the most important thing is to stay calm and follow a clear plan to stay safe. Stalking is much more than just annoying; it is a crime that our legal system takes very seriously to protect people from harassment. There is a way to get the help and answers you need to live without being afraid.
1. Stop All Talking and Texting Right Away
The most effective way to handle a stalker is to cut off all contact immediately. A desire for a reaction often drives stalking, and even a negative response, such as an argument or a plea to stop, can be interpreted as engagement or attention.
- Avoid Negotiation: Do not try to reason with the stalker or explain how their behaviour affects you.
- Starve the Fixation: By not answering calls, replying to texts, or responding to online comments, you stop providing the “fuel” that often sustains stalking behaviour.
2. Keep a Careful Record of Everything
To take legal action in a Court or seek police assistance, you must prove a “course of conduct,” which means the behaviour happened more than once or was part of a repeated pattern.
- Forensic Documentation: Keep a detailed log of every incident, including the date, time, location, and a description of exactly what happened.
- Digital Evidence: Save all screenshots of messages, emails, social media posts, and call logs.
- Preserve Originals: Store this evidence in a secure location, such as a cloud drive or physical storage device, so it is ready if you need to file an affidavit later.
3. Secure Your Phone and Your Home
Physical and digital security are your first lines of defence against a stalker tracking your movements or accessing your private life.
- Social Media Privacy: Set all your profiles to the highest privacy level and remove any identifying information that could reveal your location, such as check-ins or photos of your workplace.
- Account Security: Change passwords for all online accounts, especially email and banking, and enable two-factor authentication.
- Routine Variation: Change your daily paths, travel routes, and the times you visit regular places (like the gym or grocery store) to remain unpredictable.
- Home Security: Consider installing security cameras (such as a doorbell camera) or upgrading your locks to deter unwanted loitering.
4. Tell People You Trust
Do not suffer in silence; having a support team is a critical safety measure. Informing others helps create a protective barrier around you.
- Personal Network: Tell family members and friends so they can check in on you and avoid accidentally sharing your information with the stalker.
- Professional Network: Alert your boss or security personnel at your workplace so they can monitor visitors and prevent the stalker from loitering near your office.
- Safety in Numbers: Whenever possible, avoid travelling or exercising alone; having a companion can significantly reduce the risk of physical confrontation.
5. Get Legal Help from the Court
Singapore’s Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) provides victims with specific legal tools to stop a stalker.
- Protection Order (PO): You can apply to the Court for an order that legally forces the stalker to stop their conduct and prevents them from contacting you.
- Expedited Protection Order (EPO): In urgent cases where there is a risk of imminent harm, your lawyer can apply for an EPO, which can be granted within 48 to 72 hours to provide immediate safety.
- Divorce Context: If you are currently involved in a Divorce, getting these orders is even more important if a former partner’s behaviour becomes obsessive or threatening, as POs can also protect related persons like your children.
Examples of Stalking and Harassment
Stalking is more than just a single event. It is usually a pattern of behaviour that makes you feel unsafe or worried. To help you understand if what you are experiencing is illegal, here are some common examples of acts that the Court considers stalking:
- Following You in Person: This includes a person following you from your home to your office or while you are out with friends.
- Loitering Near You: If someone repeatedly hangs around your void deck, outside your workplace, or at places you frequent, this may constitute unlawful stalking.
- Persistent Unwanted Contact: This includes repeatedly sending text messages or emails, or making phone calls, after you have told them to stop.
- Sending Unwanted Gifts: Receiving flowers, letters, or other items from someone you have already rejected constitutes harassment.
- Cyberstalking and Social Media Monitoring: Creating fake accounts to monitor your posts or messaging you on other apps after being blocked are common digital tactics.
- Gaining Unauthorised Access: Illegally logging into your private messaging apps or email to read your conversations is a serious offence.
- Interfering with Your Property: This could involve someone moving your things or damaging your property to get your attention.
The 5-Step Sentencing Framework For Stalking Offences In Singapore
In 2020, the High Court established a new system to help judges determine the appropriate punishment for stalking under POHA. This framework ensures that the penalty aligns with the seriousness of the crime and the offender’s background.
1. Evaluating Harm and Culpability
First, the Court assesses the extent of harm to the victim and the stalker’s degree of responsibility. Harm can range from slight to severe, while the stalker’s level of blame (culpability) can be low, medium, or high.
- Harm Factors: The judge looks at the impact on your safety, health, and freedom. They also consider whether your family or friends were affected and your personal circumstances, such as your age or health.
- Culpability Factors: This includes whether the stalker planned their actions, such as researching your workplace or waiting outside your home. The judge also checks if the stalker has a mental condition or if they used very high-tech ways to track you.
2. Identifying the Sentence Range
The judge uses a table to determine the starting point for jail time or a fine based on the levels of harm and blame identified in step one.
| Harm / Culpability | Slight Harm | Moderate Harm | Severe Harm |
| Low Culpability | Fine or up to 2 months’ jail | 2 to 4 months in jail | 4 to 6 months in jail |
| Medium Culpability | 2 to 4 months in jail | 4 to 6 months in jail | 6 to 9 months in jail |
| High Culpability | 4 to 6 months in jail | 6 to 9 months in jail | 9 to 12 months in jail |
3. Pinpointing a Starting Point
Within the range selected above, the judge selects either a specific number of months or a fine amount. They do this by closely examining the details of the stalking, such as how long it lasted and how often it occurred.
4. Adjusting for Personal Factors
The judge then changes the sentence based on things specific to the stalker.
- Aggravating Factors: These make the sentence heavier, such as prior criminal history or a lack of remorse for the offence.
- Mitigating Factors: These may reduce the sentence, such as the stalker pleading guilty immediately, cooperating with the police, or offering a sincere apology.
5. Final Adjustments for Multiple Crimes
If the stalker is being punished for more than one crime at the same time, the Court makes a final check. This ensures the total punishment is fair, neither too light nor too heavy for their actions.
Legal Recourse and Formal Applications for Protection in Singapore
Applying For A Protection Order
You can request a protection order to legally prevent the stalker from approaching you or contacting you again. To get this order, the Court needs to see three things:
- The person has already stalked or harassed you.
- They are likely to do it again.
- It is fair and appropriate to place the order with you.
The judge will look at how bad the harassment was and how much it hurt you emotionally. They also look at why the person is doing it. In some cases, if you are going through a Divorce in Singapore, this order can help set clear boundaries.
The good news is that you can often apply for these orders online through the Protection from Harassment Court. You can use the online system if you are the only person applying, you are not requesting more than $20,000 in funds, and it has been less than 2 years since the stalking began.
If the stalker breaks the order, it becomes a new crime. You should notify the police immediately; this strengthens your case for assistance.
The Court can also order other things, like a Mandatory Treatment Order for the person to get psychiatric help, or they can tell the person to pay you money for the trouble they caused. Knowing what to do when being stalked means using these legal tools to protect your peace of mind.
Filing A Magistrate’s Complaint
If you have filed a police report but the police decide not to investigate further, or the prosecution chooses not to charge the person, you still have options. You can file a Magistrate’s Complaint to ask for a legal review of the situation. This is a special application in which you ask a magistrate to investigate the crime you believe was committed against you.
When you file this complaint, the Magistrate may direct the police to investigate your case again. Sometimes, this leads to a formal investigation where the government takes over the case. However, if the police still decline to help, the Magistrate can allow a private prosecution. In this situation, you will need the help of a lawyer to represent you and run the case in Court.
If you win a private case and the stalker is convicted, the outcome is the same as in a standard criminal case. The Court will punish the individual in accordance with the law. You can use this method for any crime punishable by up to 3 years in jail. Stalking qualifies under this rule because the maximum jail term is 12 months.
What Are the Penalties for Stalkers?
Conviction for unlawful stalking under Section 7 of the POHA carries significant legal consequences. For a first-time offender, the Court may impose a fine of up to $5,000, an imprisonment term of up to 12 months, or both. These maximum penalties are doubled for repeat offenders, who may face up to $10,000 in fines and up to 24 months in jail.
Beyond these standard punishments, enhanced penalties apply if the perpetrator is in an intimate relationship with the victim or if the victim is a vulnerable person. When deciding what to do if being stalked, it is important to remember that the Court can also issue community orders, such as mandatory treatment or community work, depending on the severity of the case.
The Rise of Cyberstalking and Doxxing in Singapore
Modern technology has made it easier for harassers to monitor victims without physical proximity. Cyberstalking involves repeatedly using electronic communication to frighten or harass someone and is punishable under Section 7 of the POHA. Victims frequently search for what to do if they are being stalked online, as digital harassment can feel constant.
Doxxing, which is the publication of personal identity information with the intent to cause harassment, is also a distinct offence.
- If someone publishes your personal details to cause harassment, alarm, or distress, they face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 6 months in prison.
- If the information is shared to cause fear of violence or incite violence, the potential jail term increases to 12 months.
Conclusion About Things To Do When Someone Is Stalking You
Dealing with a stalker is exhausting, but you do not have to do it alone. By acting quickly and using the law, you can regain control and live your life. At Tembusu Law, we are here to give you the support and protection you need.
Our team has the best criminal lawyers in Singapore who know exactly how to handle harassment cases. If you need help, please contact Tembusu Law for a free consultation to talk about your case and learn how we can keep you safe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Things To Do When Someone Is Stalking You
What Is Stalking Under Singapore Law?
Unlawful stalking is when someone follows you, hangs around your home, or sends unwanted messages that make you feel harassed or afraid.
Can I Get Protection from Online Stalking?
Yes, the law covers cyberstalking. If someone is using the internet to harass you over and over, the Court can make them stop.
Should I Talk to the Person Stalking Me?
No. It is best not to talk to them at all. Trying to speak with them directly can be risky. Let the police and the legal system handle it instead.
What If the Stalker Is My Ex-Partner?
The law is the same no matter who it is. If an ex-partner is stalking you during or after a Divorce, you still have the right to get legal help and protection.
Can the Police Arrest Someone for Stalking?
Yes. Stalking is a crime in Singapore. The police have the power to arrest people if there is enough proof of stalking.
What Happens If They Ignore a Court Order?
Breaking a Protection Order is a crime. You should notify the police immediately. The person can be fined or even sent to jail.
