Learn What to Do When Stalking Turns into Domestic Violence
Posted on: August 22, 2018
In a perfect world, domestic violence would never happen. In a better world, when it did happen, leaving or divorcing the perpetrator would stop the harassment. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which leaving may not be enough. Even with a restraining order in place, it is possible that the abuser will simply began to stalk their victim.
This is an issue that affects women much more than men
If we look only at reported statistics, almost all stalking cases involve men stalking women. In most cases, it is a former husband or boyfriend. The Justice Department completed an exhaustive study that found that about 1 out of every 12 women have been stalked. What’s even scarier is that about 80% of women who are stalked also get assaulted by their stalker.
What constitutes stalking?
According to California criminal law, stalking involves a behavior that serves no purpose beyond harassing, annoying, or terrorizing the victim. It is common for the stalker to be a person who is obsessed with the victim. In many cases, they cannot come to terms with the rejection they feel. They then engage in this obsessive behavior to exact revenge on the victim. It can take many forms, form an influx of phone calls to gifts or letters being sent, or watching or following the victim.
The real danger of stalking
When the only issue is stalking, it may be more of an annoyance than anything else. The real problem is that it almost always escalates into something much more serious. What may begin as annoying phone calls can result in the stalker showing up and endangering the victim. According to the National Council on Stalking, a stalker should be considered dangerous if any of the following are true of them:
- They have a criminal record
- They have a history of mental instability
- They are vandalizing property
- They cannot control their temper
- They have a history of drug abuse
- They have guns or are familiar with guns
- They have made threats toward the victim
- They are isolated
There are laws in the state of California that are designed to help prevent stalking from turning into a more serious situation.
What to do if you are being stalked
If you are the victim of stalking or harassment then we recommend that you document every incident by writing down the date, time, and details. The police may not take action if there are only a few events but once you have a list of unwanted contact, they are more likely to take action. You should also work with a domestic violence attorney who will be by your side to ensure that every extent of the law is used for your protection. Contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a confidential consultation from an attorney who can help.
