What's the difference between trying to pick someone up and stalking? When you're a university student, you need to know the distinction between the two. After all, you don't want to inadvertently cross the line and end up facing disciplinary action from your school. Once that information goes on your record, it can affect the rest of your life.

Clumsily Asking Someone for a Date is Usually Embarrassing But Harmless

Picking someone up, or asking them out, usually entails making some sort of advance toward them in a playful or romantic way. It might be as innocent as complimenting someone on their outfit or asking for their phone number. If the other person isn't interested, they'll likely make it clear and you'll move on. No harm, no foul.

Stalking Is Crossing the Line and Can Get You Into Serious Trouble

Stalking, on the other hand, is a pattern of behavior that makes someone feel harassed, threatened, or scared. It might involve repeatedly texting or calling someone even after they've asked you to stop, showing up at their home or workplace uninvited, or sending them unwanted gifts. Stalking is a serious issue that can have lasting psychological effects on its victims.

A clumsy attempt to pick someone up is not the same as stalking. But how can you make sure that your own behavior falls into the former category? The best rule of thumb is to simply respect people's space and boundaries. If someone doesn't want to give you their phone number or doesn't want to go on a date with you, take the hint and back off. It's not worth crossing the line and making someone feel scared or threatened just for the sake of trying to score a date.

How Can a Stalking Charge Affect Your Academic Standing?

Colleges and universities have strict rules against harassment and stalking. If the school determines that the allegations against you are true, it will most likely take punitive action against you. Some of those actions could include suspension or even expulsion. It could be extremely difficult to recover your academic trajectory once you've been sanctioned for violations like stalking.

How Can an Attorney Help if You've Been Accused of Stalking at College?

If you've been accused of stalking, one of the best things you can do is to get legal help. A lawyer will assess the allegation(s) against you. They will look at the evidence and try to determine what actually happened. Sometimes, people are wrongfully accused of stalking. Other times, there may be some truth to the accusation but it's been blown out of proportion or there was a misunderstanding. In either case, a lawyer can help you understand the situation and decide how to proceed.

If you decide to challenge the accusations, your lawyer will work tirelessly to find evidence and build the strongest possible case for you so that you're prepared when you go before the school. This may involve interviewing witnesses, looking at surveillance footage, and reviewing emails or text messages. Either way, having an experienced legal team on your side can make all the difference when dealing with your school. An experienced academic discipline knows the ins and out of these types of cases and can help you build a strategy that may.

Work With an Experienced Academic Discipline Attorney

If you've been accused of stalking at college, don't deal with it on your own. Joseph D. Lento and the team at the Lento Law Firm have years of experience defending students facing stalking allegations, and they know how to protect those students' rights while building a defense.

Contact Joseph Lento and the rest of the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Your future depends on it.