Opinion
To the Editor:
Every January, the National Center for Victims of Crime observes National Stalking Awareness Month to increase public awareness of stalking, a crime that annually affects 3.4 million persons over the age of 18. This year’s theme is Stalking: Know it. Name it. Stop it.
Over the past 10 years, the agency’s Stalking Resource Center has worked to enhance local responses to stalking victims by training more than 35,000 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers and others as well as working with jurisdictions to develop or improve their stalking laws.
The case of a Cedar Grove man highlights the gravity of stalking. In November, he was convicted of stalking a neighbor woman. His sentence was based on evidence police had available after he was caught on a video camera the woman had installed in her home and his admission that he repeatedly entered her home and vandalized her property over a two-year period. However when probation agents searched his home following his conviction, they found leg irons, handcuffs, a knife and other items. He then admitted he had been watching the woman for seven years and planned to rape, then kill her. New charges are pending.
Many stalking victims do not recognize that what is happening to them is a serious and potentially lethal situation. Some believe it is romantic; others believe it is a joke; others question themselves and believe they are imagining things or are being paranoid or “crazy.”
While stalking behaviors have occurred for a very long time, it is only in the last 20 years that stalking has been a crime. In 1990, California was the first state to enact anti-stalking legislation. Today, all 50 states have such laws.
Stalking, a felony in Wisconsin, is defined as intentionally engaging in conduct (two or more occurrences) that shows a continuity of purpose directed against a specific person that would cause that person to suffer serious emotional distress or fear bodily injury or death to himself, herself, a family member or a member of his or her household. These acts might include:
• Repeatedly phoning, texting, e-mailing, sending letters or notes to the person; sending them unwanted gifts; leaving notes or items at a person’s home or on/in their car or desk.
• Following, photographing, video- or audio-taping or using other electronic means to monitor and record the person’s activities.
• “Coincidentally” showing up wherever the person happens to be or waiting outside their home or work.
• Seeking information from the person’s family, friends, co-workers about the person’s work/school schedules and other routine activities.
• Rummaging through the person’s trash; stealing or vandalizing their property, including mail.
• Stealing or killing pets.
• Entering a person’s home when they are away and leaving evidence that someone has been there.
• Assaulting or raping. • Violating injunctions and no-contact orders.
• Enlisting others to do any of the above.
Several studies of stalking victims document the multi-faceted effects of this crime. Many victims experience social and economic consequences. They may withdraw and avoid social activities, quit jobs or stop going to school, move, change their appearance and/or name. Victims have had adverse physical reactions such as sleep and appetite disturbances, headaches, weakness and nausea. Almost all stalking victims experience some level of negative psychological effect. This might be a change in their personality (becoming less outgoing, extra cautious, or more aggressive), having suicidal thoughts or feelings of heightened anxiety, anger, depression, or paranoia.
If you believe you, or someone you know, may be a stalking victim, trust your intuition. Safe Harbor provides free services for stalking victims. Our phone number is (920) 452-7640. More information about stalking is available at www.ncvc.org/src.
Mary Fontanazza, advocacy director
Safe Harbor of Sheboygan County
