Stalking Log: How to Keep an Incident Log That Holds Up

Why a Log Matters

Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and at the federal level, and laws generally look for a pattern, called a course of conduct. A log makes the pattern visible.

• It shows frequency, escalation, and duration.
• It helps you remember details that fade, like exact times and words.
• It helps officers and attorneys understand the case quickly.
• It can support a protective order request.
• It records contact you chose to ignore, which shows the contact was unwanted.
• It helps you notice patterns, such as contact that follows certain events.

Read course of conduct in stalking and evidence that holds up in court.

What to Record for Each Incident

Write down the same basic facts every time so entries are consistent.

• Date and time, as precisely as you can.
• Place, such as your address, workplace, street, or website.
• What happened, in plain, factual language.
• Exact words, in quotation marks, for anything the person said or wrote.
• How the person contacted you: in person, phone, text, email, social media, through someone else.
• Identifying details: phone number, username, vehicle, clothing, direction of travel.
• Your response, including if you ignored it.
• Witnesses: who saw or heard it, with contact details if you can.
• Evidence: screenshots, voicemails, photos, receipts, and where they are saved.
• Effects on you: missed work, changed routines, medical or counseling visits.

A Template You Can Copy

Use a table in a document or spreadsheet, or write it on paper.

Entry #: 14

Date / time: 03/12, about 6:40 p.m.

Place: Parking lot outside my workplace

What happened: [Name] was standing near my car when I left. He said, "We need to talk." I walked back inside and security walked me to my car.

Contact method: In person

Witnesses: Security officer [name]

Evidence: Photo of him taken by security (saved in folder "March")

My response: Did not speak, reported to security

Effect on me: Left work early, felt unsafe driving home

The example is made up. Adapt the fields to fit what you need.

How to Write Entries

How you write matters.

• Stick to facts. Write what you saw, heard, and received, not what you think the person intended.
• Be specific. "At 9:15 p.m. he called six times" is better than "he called all night."
• Quote when you can. Exact words are powerful.
• Write soon. Entries made close to the event are more reliable.
• Don't edit old entries. If you need to correct something, add a dated note.
• Include small things. A pattern is made of small things.
• Number the entries, so gaps are obvious.

Your feelings matter too, and you can note them separately. Many people keep a short "effects" line in each entry.

Where to Store Your Log Safely

A log that the stalker can read is worse than none.

• Don't keep it on a shared device or account. Use a new email address, a private notebook, or a device the stalker has never touched.
• Keep a second copy with a trusted person or in a safe place away from home.
• Back up evidence files with the same date naming, such as "2026-03-12 text 1.png."
• Consider paper. A handwritten log in a hidden location can be safer than a digital file if you suspect monitoring.
• Protect it from damage and loss.

If you suspect your device is monitored, read electronic stalking before you change anything.

How Police and Courts Use Your Log

Bring your log, or a summary, when you report. Officers can use it to see the pattern and to ask better questions. If you apply for a protective order, you can use it to organize your statement. The Police Report tool and TRO Builder can help you turn it into a clear narrative.

A log is not a substitute for original evidence. Keep the originals, such as screenshots, voicemails, and photos, and keep your log as the guide to them. See how to report stalking.

Common Mistakes

• Waiting to start. Begin with what you remember, then add as you go.
• Writing opinions instead of facts.
• Deleting messages before logging them.
• Storing the log where the stalker can see it.
• Leaving out incidents that seem small or that you ignored.
• Letting it lapse. A weekly review keeps it current.

A Weekly Review Routine

A log is most useful when it is current and complete. Once a week, set aside fifteen minutes.

• Read through the week's entries and fill in anything you remember.
• Check that each entry has a date, a time, a place, and the evidence listed.
• Make sure screenshots and files are saved with matching dates.
• Note any change: more contact, new methods, new places, or a new person involved.
• Back up the log and evidence to your second safe location.
• Ask yourself whether the pattern is getting worse, and if so, update your safety plan.

A short routine keeps the log from becoming overwhelming and helps you notice escalation early.

Turning Your Log Into a One-Page Timeline

When you report or apply for a protective order, a long log can be hard to read. A one-page summary helps officers and judges grasp the pattern quickly.

• Start with a two-sentence overview: who the person is, how you know them, and when it began.
• List key incidents in order, with dates and one line each, such as "March 3: 14 calls between 9 p.m. and midnight."
• Highlight escalation, such as the first threat, the first time the person showed up, or the first new account.
• Note any prior reports or orders, with dates and report numbers.
• End with the current situation and what you are asking for.

Keep the full log available, but lead with the summary. The Police Report tool can help you structure it.

Logging Digital Evidence Carefully

Digital evidence is easy to lose and easy to challenge unless you handle it carefully.

• Name files consistently, such as "2026-03-12 voicemail 1.mp3," so they line up with your log.
• Capture the whole context. A screenshot should show the date, the sender's number or handle, and the web address if online.
• Don't edit or crop in ways that remove information. Keep an unedited original.
• Save the originals, not just screenshots, for voicemails, emails, and files.
• Back up to a safe location the stalker can't reach.
• Note how you captured it, such as "screenshot taken on my phone."

Use the Evidence Auditor to check that your records are complete.

Special Situations

• Contact through other people. Log each instance, who contacted you, what they said, and why you think it connects to the stalker. See stalking by proxy.
• Gaps in contact. Note quiet periods too. A pause followed by renewed contact is part of the pattern.
• Events you ignored. Log them. Ignored contact shows it was unwanted.
• Events you responded to. Log your response honestly. A single clear "do not contact me" helps, while longer exchanges can complicate matters.
• Events you aren't sure about. If something felt wrong but you can't prove it, write it down and mark it as uncertain.

What Not to Put in Your Log

• Guesses about motive or accusations you can't support.
• Threats or retaliation plans against the stalker.
• Details you don't want a court or the other side to see. Assume the log could be shared, and write accordingly.
• Passwords or other secrets.

Keep a separate private journal if you need to process your feelings.

A log is not about dwelling on what happened. It is about making sure the pattern can't be denied.

Sources and further reading

• Stalking (Office of Justice Programs)
• Interstate Stalking (U.S. Attorney's Office, N.D. Georgia)
• Help in Your State (Office for Victims of Crime)