It’s an issue that’s affected millions of people in the United States, but one we don’t hear much about.

The 2016-17 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reported more than 50 million people at that time were stalked.

What You Need To Know

  •  The 2016-17 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reported more than 50 million people at that time were stalked

  •  It's a Colgate University project

  • Those apartments are intended to help attract people who want to live full-time in the area, including staff for Colgate University

“About 12 years ago, I was taking a break from my graduate school program when I found out that someone, a friend of mine, was stalking me and another person came and told me that they were doing all of these weird things. And two of the things included that they were talking about guns on the internet, and also that they had possibly put a GPS tracker on my car, " said Stefania Ianno.

Ianno had a stalker. She reported her concerns to the police and went to a garage to have her vehicle checked for a tracker. She says they found one.

“Eventually they were charged with a crime of stalking in the fourth degree, which is a Class-B misdemeanor," said Ianno.

According to StalkingAwareness.org, "legal definitions of stalking vary between jurisdictions, but a good working definition of stalking is: a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress."

“Oftentimes, we're not educated enough to know what constitutes stalking and what it is and how to identify it. And the fact that it's not okay and the fact that it is a crime. Especially if someone is starting to feel uncomfortable or even scared that it's definitely time to take action," Ianno said.

Ianno is now trying to help other people who suspect they’re being stalked. She founded Breaking Stalking.

Some of her tips include keeping your information secure online and not spreading personal contact information. The internet can also be helpful for victims when keeping records.

“Of course, people can make their own documentation with with other instances of phone calls and especially via social media. Screenshot or save the emails, the Facebook messages, the Instagram messages, even the Snapchats," she said.

When documenting an incident, Ianno said to record the day, time, and include if there were other people involved or witnesses.

You can also record how the incidents made you feel – but remember that it may be presented in court, meaning the accused stalker will learn how their actions made you feel.

Ianno’s goal is to teach people what to look for, how to respond, and to prevent stalking altogether. She encourages people to always be aware of your surroundings and keep details like your address, your workplace or your schedule private.

She said people, starting at a young age, should learn about consent and how to accept being told no.