Why I Don’t Publish My Physical Contact Information

An entry by teli on 02/07/2006

I don’t publish my mailing address or phone number online.

Being asked, recently, why I don’t publish my address or phone number on my website (that coupled with Darren sharing his recent online ordeal), has prompted me to explain my decision a little more.

Men are psychotic. Okay, not all men. Just some of them, and they are out there, and they somehow manage to find me.

Last year, I was placed in a very precarious situation. Although this man claimed to be 2,000 miles away and only had my phone number, I still felt threatened to the point of absolute fear for my personal safety.

I made light of it, but in fact, it was very upsetting to deal with. I was afraid to close my eyes at night, and I forced my family to stay on the phone with me until I fell asleep, just in case.

He got my phone number from my website. Since the incident, I promptly removed all my contact information from all of my websites and I am careful who I give my personal information to.

I work from the comfort of my home, and I can’t deal with the stress of worrying who knows my address and what they plan to do with said address.

If someone wants to speak with me, and I feel at ease with their initial contact, then I will make an appointment to call them.

Maybe one day I will publish my contact information on my website again, but that day is not in the foreseeable future.

# | Leave your comment | Filed in: About um...me, Mild Insanity

2 Responses to “Why I Don’t Publish My Physical Contact Information”

  1. J.A.S.O.N. Says:
    February 7th, 2006 at 7:32 am

    Wait, you’re having to explain why you don’t put your personal information online? I think it would be more logical to explain why you would, but then, logic is in short supply on the internets.

  2. teli Says:
    February 7th, 2006 at 12:01 pm

    I know Jason, I know. There is no such thing as logic on the internet.

    It’s like people forget there are millions upon millions of people on the internet everyday and you never really know who’s reading your website or their mental state.

    But we become so comfortable with the ones who make themselves known and seem mentally stable that we completely forget about the ones who aren’t.

    I did, but that was quickly remedied.