I've been stalked for the last 6 years, stay safe this holiday season dear people

This is just a thread to make you all think about how you behave when you're alone and when you're with family and friends.<br><br>I'm a young woman from a middle-class family, computer science student, working full-time in a job that I've worked in for the last 3 years. I've got a decent social media presence, nothing crazy. I worked in customer service for a while before this job too.<br><br>About a year ago, I met a guy. I was working in tech support and he called with a problem with his smartphone. I solved the issue and that was it. He called again a couple of weeks later. We flirted a little at the beginning of the call and then I helped him with his technical issues. After the call had ended, he started sending me text messages pretending that he wanted tech help with other stuff he had a problem with. We chatted, I helped him with his issues and he thanked me and wished me a good night. He called again a couple of weeks later. I recognized his voice so I knew it was him. This went on for a couple of weeks until one day he told me that he was falling in love with me. I politely told him that he needed to stop calling me or else I would report him to my superiors. He told me that he was sorry and that he didn't mean to scare me. He never called again and I thought that was the end of it.<br><br>Fast forward a couple of weeks. I was walking home from the bus station when I noticed a guy that looked like him standing by the bus station and watching me walk towards my home. I don't know why but at the time I was 100% sure it was him. I didn't make any eye contact but he got into his car and drove by me while I was walking, rolled down the window, and said "Hi". I picked up my pace and ran into my house. I locked all the doors and windows and checked the locks 3-4 times. I didn't sleep that night. The next day I went to the police and told them everything. They told me they would look into it but they couldn't do anything because he didn't technically break any laws.<br><br>Days went by and I noticed that he was everywhere. I would see him in my neighborhood and he would always tell me hi and wish me a good day. I stopped going to walk by myself. My friends would walk me everywhere or I would call a cab. I stopped hanging out with my friends. I didn't leave my house unless it was absolutely necessary. I didn't have a social life for a year. He would sit in his car outside my house for hours. I would see him standing by the bus station every day. He got into my house one time and stole my computer and my old phone. He broke into my car and stole some stuff. I installed cameras but he stole the cameras. I didn't go to the police because I thought they wouldn't be able to do anything.<br><br>After 1.5 years of this shit, I moved to a different city to work in a different job. I didn't tell him where I was going and he didn't have any way to contact me. I blocked him on everything. I felt safe until I saw him in my new city, standing by the bus station, watching me walk to my new apartment. I didn't go to the police because I thought they wouldn't be able to do anything and I didn't want to ruin my life. I've been living like this for 3 years. I see him all the time but it's not like the old days. I feel like I can handle it but it's not okay to live like this. I feel unsafe and my mental health is starting to collapse. I'm tired of living in a state of hyper-vigilance. My family thinks that it's all in my head and that I'm exaggerating. I'm tired of explaining to people that I don't go outside alone at night because I have a stalker. I'm tired of running. I don't know what to do. <br><br>I'm going home for Christmas. I haven't told my family that he knows my address at home, I haven't told them anything. I don't think he knows I'm going home and my family will be with me so I think I'll be okay but what if he sees me going into my house? What if he breaks in when no one is there? What if he steals something valuable? What if he sees me going for a walk alone? What then?<br><br>I'm staying with my brother during the holidays and thankfully he doesn't know my brother's address so I think I'll be okay while I'm staying with my brother but what if he sees me going into my house? What if he breaks in and steals something valuable? He's not violent and my family will be with me but what if he breaks in when no one is there? I don't know what to do.<br><br>This holiday season, be careful, stay safe, trust your instincts.