After reading the piece on stalking in the Advertiser dated February 20, she decided to share her experience with the publication.
Since she’d moved into the village, she had, had to endure the nightmare of being stalked by a married man.
“And yes, it does take an extreme emotional toll on the victim,” the 59-year-old woman said.
She is even at the point where, if the matter escalates, she will report it to the SAPS.
“Even though I have managed to mostly put a stop to it, there is still a residual effect that I have to cope with, such as being seen as the pariah, since I have had the audacity to complain, while many of the residents feel that I am the one who has been unreasonable,” she said.
“I did nothing, yet it seems I am the one at fault for complaining.”
She said her ‘stalker’ would barge into her home at any time, without being invited in.
“I even had heated words with him, as I felt it most inappropriate that he should think it’s okay that he could come in at will,” she explained.
“He always had an excuse, such as that he just wanted to look at something, like the stove, my TV, or the emergency light.
“It has forced me to keep my door locked just to keep him out.”
She added that he also climbed on top of the garbage bin, in order to look through her kitchen window to see what she was doing – at least six times a day.
“He also continually opens and closes the garbage bin without putting anything in it. No doubt to keep tabs on what I am eating or drinking and doing,” she said.
She also believes he listens in on her phone conversations.
“At times information has been spread around the village which he could only have known about if he had been listening in while I was on the phone.”
She strongly suspects that he had keys to her unit, as she would see signs that someone had been in while she was out, but this she cannot prove.
“I have changed all the locks, so this has now stopped,” she said.
The following is an extract from Margaret’s letter to management – after which the problem seems to have improved:
Someone needs to point out to [the man] that this falls under the umbrella of sexual harassment. Since then (since she has spoken to him) the harassment has not stopped. All I have ever done is to ask them to leave me alone. This has not happened. Should there be one more incident I will be laying a charge at the SAPS.
“This threat seems to have done the trick as matters, although still not perfect, are considerably better – I did not deserve this,” she said.
According to the woman she is not the only person who is stalked by this particular man, but she is the only person who has come forward. – @IschkeBoksburg
*Aliases
