Note that the term "restraining order" used in this article is a general term to indicate a legal mechanism used in many jurisdictions to prohibit certain behavior, including contact with another person. The specific term used can vary depending on the country, state, or territory. For example, in the United States, the term Restraining Order is commonly used. In Canada, the term Protection Order is often used, while in Australia, both Apprehended Violence Order and Domestic Violence Order may be used. Other terms may include Intervention Order or Temporary Protection Order.
Ultimately, the purpose of these orders is the same: to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals at risk of violence, harassment, or abuse.
Stitch's number one priority is to create a community where members feel welcome and safe at all times.
For the vast majority of our members, the Stitch Community Guidelines, along with the reporting and moderation tools provided by the Stitch platform, do an excellent job of doing exactly that.
Some members, however, face additional challenges based on events that have occurred in their lives prior to joining Stitch.
The most serious of these is when a member has a restraining order placed against another person in their life, such as an ex-partner, and they are concerned that the person in question may use Stitch to track their whereabouts or stalk them.
If your local courts, police, or other administrative organization has agreed to place a restraining order on someone in your life, and you are aware they have signed up for a Stitch account, please let us know immediately.
We will need you to provide evidence of the restraining order, along with sufficient identifying information for us to confirm that the member in question matches the person identified by the restraining order.
In most cases, Stitch will suspend or terminate the membership of the member in question immediately.
The Stitch platform provides additional ways to prevent your profile from being seen by other members, including turning off your profile visibility on the Members page, using Private groups and activities, and more.
If you have concerns for your safety because you feel threatened by someone in your life, please reach out to Stitch Support. We are here to help.