It should be legal to stalk someone

Let's take a look at each of my opponents points that are supported by evidence. In round one he gives a definition of stalking from Wikipedia which I agree with. The same source says that victims can suffer debilitating psychological trauma and may feel the need to switch workplaces to escape their stalkers, which is true too, but is not a sufficient reason to make stalking illegal. This is because what one person calls unwanted attention might be wanted by another person. We also live in a world where it is normal to adore celebrities, find out what love is yourself, and normal to upload pictures immediately on social media and tell everyone everything you are doing right now including things which only a stalker would be interested in knowing. Since people can expect unwanted attention, they should expect to deal with it. This is unlike murder and muggings, people should not expect to be murdered or mugged so should not expect to deal with this without the help of police. Con also says in round one that stalkers may have mental disorders, and says that if stalking is legal stalkers won't be reported and treated. He uses another source in round 2 to prove that attorneys can arrange psychiatric evaluations to find out if someone is insane. However, if it is illegal to stalk and at least half of stalkers have mental disorders and need to be medicated, why should they potentially face time in jail? It doesn't seem very compassionate to me. Stalkers should not have to fear seeking help. Would a stalker report someone who beat him up for stalking i.e. doing something illegal? People will express their hatred towards stalkers if it is illegal to stalk to a much greater extent. In round two Con says that estimates suggest that 4.1% of death row inmates are wrongly convicted despite there being a lot of investigation. Lesser crimes are not investigated as thoroughly so a higher percentage of people can be expected to be wrongly convicted of them. This should tell you that the death sentence should be scrapped. 11.5% of stalking reports are false, no amount of investigation will change that, 70% of false stalking reports are made by people suffering from delusions. Many women who have bad sex, or who have regrets after having sex with a stranger already think they have been raped, now just imagine how many more women will think they are being stalked when it is illegal. People falsely accused of being a stalker, or rapist, can end up on the sex register, lose their job, and have all kinds of difficulties. Stalking laws are sexist, and the harmful effects of stalking are entirely preventable. Con doesn't believe that it is easy to avoid being stalked even though cyber-stalking is more common than physical harassment with many victims finding themselves pursued by complete strangers online [1]. It is easy to block or not read emails, texts, facebook messages etc. Instead of doing that people are being advised to keep a record of their unnecessary abuse when they should just get on with their life. Children can hijack accounts because people don't use secure passwords, give easy password hints, tell people etc. They'd quickly know if someone is the person they say they are. You say in your own words "As soon as a stalker learns the victim"s address, the victim has no choice but to move". I strongly doubt that. Why can they not just not open the door, not let them in, turn their phone off, etc? There is a social stigma against stalkers, like there is against fat people, does that mean fat people don't seek help from their doctor, try diets, join gyms etc? No. A social stigma against stalkers does not stop stalkers having a reason to seek psychiatric help. Are you saying stalkers should be motivated by being released from jail? Women who are raped often have a false sense of security, they feel that they can wear what they want, go home late at night on their own and not worry about being raped because it's illegal. It's the same for stalking, women think because it is illegal no-one will stalk them and they can take zero responsibility. If something happens to them then they won't have to feel stupid because someone else was entirely to blame. Murder is different to stalking, people wouldn't expect to be murdered at 1:00 in the morning having a stroll in urban slums but might ask why they'd want to do that. The average handbag contains a few thousand pounds or so, people don't expect to be mugged unless you are elderly maybe but it is always a good idea to take some responsibility/precautions e.g. lock your car, house, hide things from sight etc. If there were less stories about stalking people wouldn't feel so helpless like they do about rape, women who feel a crime is beyond their control take no responsibility e.g. they may wear very little clothing, get drunk, surround their selves with drunken men etc. People can't prevent being murdered by staying indoors, not angering the mafia, they need to live their life, go to work etc. A person can be obsessed with someone for no apparent reason, but the victim can stop them stalking them quite easily, they could ask them not to contact them, tell them they are wasting their time etc. sources: [1] http://www.theguardian.com...