Stalking
I am very concerned about justice for the men and woman who are being stalked on a daily basis, having their privacy and safety ignored. My purpose is to outline crime victim crimes against them, analyze the context in which the crime occurs, state how victims might contribute to the crimes against them, describe the impact of the crime on society, and list proposed victim assistance to back up my new crime victim policy.
People every day are victim to others who relentlessly focus on them, invading their privacy and even making unwanted contacts with them. It is a growing problem nationwide and not enough is being done to protect these people. In Minnesota there is a specific statute against stalking this statute defines stalking as “to engage in conduct which the actor knows or has reason to know would cause the victim under the circumstances to feel frightened, threatened, oppressed, persecuted, or intimidated.” This crime can occur either through the cyber world through face book, email and other electronic communications or through face to face contact, or simply by following an individual. Any activity in which someone partakes in that you know would cause fear in another is a crime and not being addressed enough. The stats show that this is a major problem within the country and is growing each year as technology grows and there are electronics makes it easier and more feasible for stalkers to do work. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics 3.4 million people are being stalked in the United States, and one in four reports that at least part of their stalking occurs via cyber stalking. Also 78 percent of the victims are female; although females are the majority of the victims both men and women are equally likely to receive harassment. Almost half of all victims stated that they received one or more unwanted contact from the attacker per week and an amazing 11 percent stated that they have been being victimized for more than five years (Bureau of
People every day are victim to others who relentlessly focus on them, invading their privacy and even making unwanted contacts with them. It is a growing problem nationwide and not enough is being done to protect these people. In Minnesota there is a specific statute against stalking this statute defines stalking as “to engage in conduct which the actor knows or has reason to know would cause the victim under the circumstances to feel frightened, threatened, oppressed, persecuted, or intimidated.” This crime can occur either through the cyber world through face book, email and other electronic communications or through face to face contact, or simply by following an individual. Any activity in which someone partakes in that you know would cause fear in another is a crime and not being addressed enough. The stats show that this is a major problem within the country and is growing each year as technology grows and there are electronics makes it easier and more feasible for stalkers to do work. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics 3.4 million people are being stalked in the United States, and one in four reports that at least part of their stalking occurs via cyber stalking. Also 78 percent of the victims are female; although females are the majority of the victims both men and women are equally likely to receive harassment. Almost half of all victims stated that they received one or more unwanted contact from the attacker per week and an amazing 11 percent stated that they have been being victimized for more than five years (Bureau of
References: Bureau of Justice Statistics (2010) Stalking Victimization in the United States. Retrieved From: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1211 Center for Problem Oriented Policing (2004) Stalking Guide number 22. Retrieved from: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/stalking/ Karmen, A. (2010). Crime victims an introduction to victimology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth National center for Victims of Crime (2012). Stalking Resource Center. Retrieved from: http://www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center/stalking-information Privacy Rights Clearing House. (ND). Are You Being Stalked?. Retrieved from: https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs14-stk.htm Stalking Victim Sanctuary (2013). Stalking Victim Survival. Retrieved from: http://www.stalkingvictims.com/home.htm