Cal Gaunt
Netflix fans have been left ‘too scared to sleep’ after watching a terrifying new true crime show about stalkers.
Stalking is a serious and often dangerous behaviour that can have a devastating impact on the lives of its victims.
The act can take many forms, including unwanted phone calls, texts, or emails, following the victim, sending unwanted gifts and showing up at the victim’s workplace or home.
According to The Stalking Prevention, Awareness and Resource Center, an estimated 13.5 million people are stalked in the United States alone per year, although Netflix says this figure is more like 1.4 million.
And its documentary on the topic has left viewers petrified.
Watch the official trailer for I Am A Stalker below…
In fact, I Am A Stalker has left some viewers so frightened that they’re saying they’re struggling to sleep at night.
The documentary features convicted stalkers discussing their crimes and the obsessive behaviour that led them to their victims.
The streaming service warns that the show contains ‘harrowing accounts of harassment, abuse and other crimes’ from both the stalkers and their survivors.
One part of the documentary explains the results of stalking can range from persistently receiving unwanted correspondence to kidnapping and even murder.
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While the programme has received positive reviews for its unflinching portrayal of the horrors of stalking, some viewers have found the content too disturbing to watch.
One Twitter, one user confesses: “I certainly can’t be the only one who watches I Am A Stalker on Netflix before bed, and therefore will be too scared to sleep?”
Another person comments on the failure of the judicial system to protect stalking victims.
They write: “Hearing how the judicial system continued to fail these victims is [crazy emoji].
“A piece of paper doesn’t protect anyone. Thankful I am single at this point.”
Others are expressing sympathy for the victims of the stalkers and their families, with one writing: “I feel for John, but he put Rachel and her family through absolute hell.
“I’d be terrified to be anywhere near him after that. I can only imagine what would happen if Rachel met someone and moved on.”
One of the main subjects of the documentary, Daniel Thompson, is currently serving a life sentence in Missouri for second-degree murder.
Prior to this conviction, he stalked his ex-wife Angie, even after she obtained a restraining order.
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He broke into her home after she returned from a domestic violence shelter with their children and was convicted of burglary.
After serving seven years, he resumed his stalking with a new girlfriend, for which he received probation.
He then went on to kill his next girlfriend and stabbed a man to death.
Despite the discomfort it may cause, the documentary serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of stalking and the importance of taking it seriously.
I Am A Stalker is available to stream on Netflix in the US. It’s available on the Crime + Investigation network in the UK.
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