Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You won't get a restraining order if he hasn't threatened you or attempted to harm you. Knowing information about you is not grounds for a restraining order.
According to Georgia law:
Stalking is defined as when someone does any of the following without your permission for the purpose of “harassing or intimidating” you:
follows you;
places you under surveillance; or
contacts you (in person, by phone, email, computer or other electronic device, etc.).*
“Harassing or intimidating” you means that the stalker does repeated acts that cause you emotional distress by placing you in reasonable fear for your safety or the safety of a member of your immediate family (and the acts serve no legitimate purpose). There does not have to be a specific threat of death or bodily injury.*
I could get a protective order out against him based on one of those things alone. I won't yet, because I want to talk to his parents first, but I could if it comes to it.
Very bad idea. You have no idea what this person is like. Being the least bit accommodating or encouraging of someone giving unwanted attention can spiral out of control very fast.
Yes, I don't want to give him ANY hope. This behavior isn't wanted. Any amount of interaction from my side is probably going to be viewed as encouragement. I even think me stopping by and talking to his parents will be seen as encouragement, but I should still do it.
I don't think you can get a restraining order unless something threatening has happened, or unless he's harassed you directly. What is it about his behavior that caused your neighbors to tell him to leave the property? Was it the questioning about you, or was there something more?
What caused my neighbors telling him to leave the property was that he had already been talking about me to them, and they were creeped out by it. They didn't like the idea of this guy just hanging out in our front yard after those interactions they'd had with him about me.
Stalking is defined as when someone does any of the following without your permission for the purpose of “harassing or intimidating” you:
follows you;
places you under surveillance; or
contacts you (in person, by phone, email, computer or other electronic device, etc.).*
“Harassing or intimidating” you means that the stalker does repeated acts that cause you emotional distress by placing you in reasonable fear for your safety or the safety of a member of your immediate family (and the acts serve no legitimate purpose). There does not have to be a specific threat of death or bodily injury.*
I could get a protective order out against him based on one of those things alone. I won't yet, because I want to talk to his parents first, but I could if it comes to it.
Do what you're going to do, but based on what you've said, he hasn't done repeated acts that cause you emotional distress or place you in reasonable fear, etc. He's watched you and asked neighbors about you, but hasn't done anything to you. You didn't even know what he was doing til someone told you.
I'd definitely talk to his parents before doing anything else.
I bet that your attitude would be completely different if you found out that he was cognitively delayed (old term, mentally retarded) and he was as harmless as an eight year old child who just does not understand or remember all of the rules of being a good neighbor.
If he is being a pest or breaking the rules his parents would want to know about it.
BTW. You can"t always tell if a person is cognitively delayed, or has a Traumatic Burain Injury, or is on the autism spectrum or is mentally ill just by looking at them or even by having brief conversations with them.
PS. You did not say how old he was, or if he had a job or anything like that but frankly how many mature, adult males continue living with their parents even after the parents move to a new house? Sure, some adult men still live in their childhood home with their parents but they bought a new home/condo big enough to make sure that their adult son had a place to live. Hmmm.
Last edited by germaine2626; 04-22-2016 at 01:20 PM..
Reason: added PS
Stalking is defined as when someone does any of the following without your permission for the purpose of “harassing or intimidating” you:
follows you;
places you under surveillance; or
contacts you (in person, by phone, email, computer or other electronic device, etc.).*
“Harassing or intimidating” you means that the stalker does repeated acts that cause you emotional distress by placing you in reasonable fear for your safety or the safety of a member of your immediate family (and the acts serve no legitimate purpose). There does not have to be a specific threat of death or bodily injury.*
I could get a protective order out against him based on one of those things alone. I won't yet, because I want to talk to his parents first, but I could if it comes to it.
Do what you're going to do, but based on what you've said, he hasn't done repeated acts that cause you emotional distress or place you in reasonable fear, etc. He's watched you and asked neighbors about you, but hasn't done anything to you. You didn't even know what he was doing til someone told you.
I'd definitely talk to his parents before doing anything else.
That's pretty much what I was thinking. Nothing the OP outlined in the initial post seemed to fit within the definitions at all.
Yes, I don't want to give him ANY hope. This behavior isn't wanted. Any amount of interaction from my side is probably going to be viewed as encouragement. I even think me stopping by and talking to his parents will be seen as encouragement, but I should still do it.
I agree. I would even avoid making eye contact with this man. I would ask a neighbor if they would be willing to go with you to the parents house or maybe they'd even go for you. It's unnerving how much he knows about you and how interested he is. Be careful.
I agree. I would even avoid making eye contact with this man. I would ask a neighbor if they would be willing to go with you to the parents house or maybe they'd even go for you. It's unnerving how much he knows about you and how interested he is. Be careful.
Thank you. I feel like some of the advice I've received here is basically saying this isn't serious. It may not be a threat at all, but people are murdered every day for not taking things seriously, so I'm just trying to protect myself based on the info I've heard from people I trust.
What unnerves me is the fact that he seems to keep such a close eye on me that he knows when I'm in town and when I'm not. And that he knows the name of my dog, which he must have overheard me talking to my dog to find that out. Who knows what he's capable of (GPS tracker attached to my car, somehow getting into my building and waiting for me, etc)? I think I have enough info to be worried even if he is harmless. This behavior is just not ok with me. I was just looking for some advice as to what to do, and I think the best solution is to start by talking to the parents myself, and bringing a neighbor along maybe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
