My Topic: Stalking on college campuses

(I am not finished with my outline, I still need to find an introduction/attention grabber and I also need to research solutions to this issue).

 

The format: 

• Attention
  • Find a way to engage audience
  • Provide relevance to audience’s lives
    • Perhaps begin with anecdote, example, news story, current/recent event
• Statement of need/Identify problem or issue- College campuses need to take more action to end stalking and violence against women. 
  • Provide overview of problem (https://studybreaks.com/college/stalking-on-college-campuses-what-to-do/) 
  • Provide evidence that the problem is REAL
    • “Around 370,000 men and over 1 million women are stalked each year. Victims of stalking often fear for their physical safety and suffer from the mental and physical symptoms of severe stress. Stalking is even more common on college campuses. In one survey, nearly half of female students and over a quarter of male students experienced at least one instance of being stalked.” (https://studybreaks.com/college/stalking-on-college-campuses-what-to-do/ )
    • “Most students who attend traditional colleges are at an age where they actively socialize away from their family support structure. Throw in a heavy dose of social media, which allows stalkers to contact and track their victims, and the college campus becomes an environment where students are especially vulnerable to stalking.”
  • Provide variety of supports
    • “One of the best things to do when being stalked is to contact a local victim service provider. Most college campuses have a victim advocacy office where students can call or visit to discuss their situation with a professional.”
    • “It’s also advisable for victims to record all the evidence of being stalked. This can include saving frequent or harassing messages and keeping a log of each encounter with a stalker.”
    • “A victim can file a restraining order or a related document, which may involve filling out paperwork, documenting the stalking incidents and attending court hearings. Unfortunately, this is a lengthy process, but it means that a stalker legally must leave their victims alone or face legal repercussions. Laws about stalking vary by location, so it’s important to look up local laws before pursuing legal action.”
    • “Penn State students from any campus can call 1-800-560-1637 or www.hotline.psu.edu to access the 24 hour a day, seven day a week hotline.” (https://www.police.psu.edu/victim-services#:~:text=Penn%20State%20students%20from%20any,seven%20day%20a%20week%20hotline.) 
  • Corroborate claims that might format skepticism
    • Sometimes reaching out for help legally or from other professionals makes victims feel unsafe. If victims were to contact a therapist to relieve mental stress about the situation, the therapist is most often required to contact a higher authority or report the situation to the police despite HIPAA laws which can force the victim to report the incident when they aren’t ready yet and don’t feel protected enough to do so. 
    • Sometimes it’s hard to record information without the stalker knowing, and the victim might be threatened by the stalker.
    • Any legal solutions like restraining orders can lead to retaliation from the perpetrator and make the situation worse, once again making the victim feel unsafe.
• Significance of need
  • Who is harmed? How much?
    • “Stalking victims may feel vulnerable and unsafe, and many say they feel they are always looking over their shoulder. Many victims come to believe that the stalking is never going to end, which can lead to feelings of isolation, anger, frustration, depression, and hopelessness.” (https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/pubs/helpseries/HelpBrochure_Stalking.html#:~:text=Stalking%20victims%20may%20feel%20vulnerable,frustration%2C%20depression%2C%20and%20hopelessness.) 
  • What is the larger societal cost?
    • Social media makes it easier for stalking to occur. (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/06/social-media-allows-more-stalking-college-campuses) 
    • This might make parents and families refrain from sending their kids to college if they’re concerned with their child’s safety. 
    • Victims are dying from this issue. 
• Satisfy need/Identify steps that will alleviate problem
  • Draw on solid claims and evidence used in stating the problem
  • Offer examples that illustrate viability of suggested efforts
  • Explain how steps will be effective
• Visualization/Solvency- Prove that steps will actually solve the problem; look to future
  • Explain what happens if steps are taken
    • Use examples to prove solution(s) will work
      • OR    –
  • Explain what happens if steps are not taken
    • Use examples to prove solution(s) will work
      • OR    –
  • Do both
• Disadvantages- show/prove that the proposed plan won’t make matters worse or negatively affect others as consistent with the values, principles that initiated and root the brief’s exigence and goals
• Action
  • Provide a path for audience participation in the subject

Sources:

https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Campus-Stalking-Fact-Sheet.pdf  

 

https://studybreaks.com/college/stalking-on-college-campuses-what-to-do/ 

 

https://www.police.psu.edu/victim-services#:~:text=Penn%20State%20students%20from%20any,seven%20day%20a%20week%20hotline. 

 

https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/pubs/helpseries/HelpBrochure_Stalking.html#:~:text=Stalking%20victims%20may%20feel%20vulnerable,frustration%2C%20depression%2C%20and%20hopelessness. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/06/social-media-allows-more-stalking-college-campuses