Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series highlighting National Stalking Awareness Month, including legal implications, tips for victims, tips for identifying stalking behavior and available resources. Local law enforcement and advocacy nonprofits are working to raise awareness for National Stalking Awareness Month this January. The goal of the agencies are to highlight the devastating impact of stalking, provide resources for victims and encourage individuals to recognize warning signs and report suspicious behavior. Stalking is defined as a pattern of behavior directed at a specific individual that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others or to experience significant emotional distress, according to the Stalking Prevention, Awareness and Resource Center (SPARC). Stalking impacts one in three women and one in six men in the United States. “Stalkers utilize various tactics, such as unwanted contact through phone calls, texts…