What are the elements of stalking?

• A. Engages in direct contact on a single occasion; the intent to place person in reasonable fear
• B. Engages in indirect contact with another person on MORE than one occasion; the intent to place the person in a state of reasonable fear
• C. Engages in direct contact with another person on MORE than one occasion; the intent to place the person in a state of reasonable fear; reasonable fear of death, criminal sexual assault, and/or bodily injury
• D. Engages in direct contact with more than one person; the intent to place the person in a state of reasonable fear

Answer: (C)

Stalking involves a pattern of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for safety. The elements require more than a single incident, and there must be direct contact with the target, plus an intent to cause fear, with the fear being reasonable and tied to the possibility of death, serious bodily injury, or a sexual assault.

This option fits all of those pieces: there is direct contact on more than one occasion, directed at one person, with the purpose of placing the person in a state of reasonable fear, and that fear encompasses serious harm such as death or bodily injury. The other choices miss one or more elements—whether it’s a single incident, indirect contact, or targeting more than one person—so they don’t capture the full definition of stalking.