Matt Markon, Esq. 202-467-8727

1. Matt Markon, Esq. 202-467-8727

2. Stalking and Disability • What is stalking? • Defined by statute • Common theme present in all statutes • Common perceptions • What is disability? • How do we define it? • What statutes do we use?

3. What is a Disability? Any physical, sensory, or mental impairment • or any combination of these

4. What is problematic with this definition of disability? • It doesn’t really help us. • “Disabled persons” is so broad to be meaningless. • Different “disabilities” bring different challenges to the practitioner • “What challenges does this case present?”

5. What is Stalking? • Stalking generally refers to repeated harassing or threatening behavior putting another person in fear.

6. Stalking • Can seemingly non-threatening behavior be stalking? • Case example from Tom Kirkman • Context is EVERYTHING!!!

7. Prevalence of Stalking • 1 out of every 12 U.S. Women (8.2 million) and 1 out of every 45 U.S. men (2 million) has been stalked at some point. • Estimated 1.4 million people are stalked annually. • Campus Study: 13.1% of college women were stalked during a one semester survey.

8. Relationship to Stalker: • 77% of female victims are stalked by someone they know. • 23% of female stalking victims are stalked by strangers. • NVAW Study (1998)

9. Stalking, DV & Sexual Assault • 81% of stalking victims who were stalked by an intimate partner reported that they had also been physically assaulted by that partner. • 31% were also sexually assaulted by that partner >>>NVAW Study (1998)

10. Prevalence– Femicide Study • 76% of femicide cases involved at least one episode of stalking within 12 months prior to the murder. • 85% of attempted femicide cases involved at least one episode of stalking within 12 months prior to the attempted murder.

11. Physical Abuse and Stalking • 67% of femicide victims had been physically abused by their intimate partner in the 12 months before the murder. • 89% of femicide victims who had been physically abused had also been stalked in the 12 months before the murder.

12. Reports to Law Enforcement • 54% of femicide victims reported stalking to police before they were killed by their stalkers. • 46% of attempted femicide victims reported stalking to police before the attempted murder.

13. Victim’s Reactions • Sociologist Jennifer Dunn, PhDresearched victim’s responses to stalking by former intimate partners. • Courting Disaster: Intimate Stalking, Culture, and Criminal Justice, Jennifer L. Dunn

14. Four Types of Victim Reactions • Active resistance • Threats to call 911; Physical struggle; Recording stalker’s behavior • Help seeking • Calling police; Escorted to car; Screaming for help • Coping to reduce danger • Screening calls or changing number; Moving; Staying with family or friends; Hiding • Coping by complying with stalker’s demands • Visiting stalker; Going places with stalker; Continuing sexual relations with stalker; Requesting case be dropped

15. Are the stalking statistics the same for victims with disabilities?

16. Women with disabilities experience the highest rate of personal violence – violence at the hands of spouses, partners, boyfriends, family members, caregivers, and strangers – of any group in our society today. Abramson, W., Emanuel, E., Gaylord, V., & Hayden, M. (Eds.). (2000). Impact: Feature Issue on Violence Against Women with Developmental or Other Disabilities, 13 (3). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration.

17. Each year, nearly 10 thousand women and children become permanently hearing impaired due to being repeatedly struck on or near the ear. • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; National Institutes of Health, National Strategic Research Plan (1989) • A study of 482 children with documented maltreatment evaluated at the Center for Abused Handicapped Children at Boys Town Research Hospital in Omaha, NE, reveals that more than half (53.4%) of the deaf children report being sexually abused. • Sullivan, P.M., Vernon, M., & Scanlan, J., 1987. "Sexual abuse of deaf youth." American Annals of the Deaf, 132, 256-62.

18. “Studies suggest that mentally disabled people are at least four times more likely than other Americans to be targets of sexual assault and other violence. Some studies indicate that more than 75 percent of mentally disabled women are sexually abused.” Justice Dept. background on crime against the disabled: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/factshts/disable.htm Published by the Institute on Community Integration (UAP) · Research and Training Center on Community Living Volume 13 · Number 3 · Fall 2000

19. Persons with developmental disabilities have a high risk of being sexually abused. One researcher estimates that 90% of people with developmental disabilities will be sexually victimized in their lifetime, yet only 3% of the assaults will ever be reported. • Sobsey, D. & Doe, T. (1991) Patterns of sexual abuse and assault. Sexuality and Disability, 9 (3), 243-259; Tyiska, 1998) Tyiska, C. (1998). Working with victims of crime with disabilities (OVC Bulletin). Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Justice..

20. Stalking and Disabilities • Have some things in common • They aren’t being identified • Response to them is inadequate

21. Are disabilities being identified? • How many shelters are checking for TBI, concussions? • Victims are labeled as borderline when they miss appointments • Are they asking about prior incidents of unconsiosness? • How many are actually having victims assessed for trauma related mental issues? (not just saying it is ptsd)

22. Is stalking being identified? Independent living centers • Are they even looking at stalking? • Do they have protocol in place? • Shelters? • S/A programs?

23. There are NO profiles of stalkers!

24. What we can say about stalkers Many Stalkers have: • Above average intelligence • Dependant personalities • Controlling personalities • Relationship stalkers tend to have Personality Disorders • Often Narcissistic, Antisocial and/or Borderline

25. Psychology of Stalking: • Wright, Burgess, Burgess, Laszlo, McCrary and Douglas (1996). A Typology of Interpersonal Stalking(Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol. 11 No. 4, Dec 1996)

26. Categories of Stalkers • Nondomestic Stalker • Organized • Delusional • Domestic Stalker

27. Nondomestic Stalker • No interpersonal relationship with victim • May target victim from brief encounter or simply an observation • Victim may be unable to identify the stalker when first becoming aware of the stalking

28. Relationship between stalker and victim is one-way Anonymous communications Until the first communication – Victim is often unaware Unknown identity Casual contact – described to victim - to let the victim know that stalker is capable of carrying out threats Relationship is based on stalker’s psychological fixation Fusion (stalker blends his or her personality into the victim’s) or Erotomania (fantasy of idealized love or spiritual union) or Narcissistic Linking Fantasy Command Hallucinations or Religious fantasy Organized Delusional

29. Former relationship between stalker and victim Victim aware of stalking Prior abuse or conflict with stalker (Domestic Violence) Stalker often seeks to continue or reestablish a relationship that victim has attempted to end Motivation evolves into “If I can’t have her, no one can.” Victim will often express feeling “smothered” in prior relationship Murder/suicide Domestic Stalker

30. Why do they stalk? • Rejection (real or imagined) • Threatens stalker’s narcissistic fantasy of themselves (superior, intelligent, important, powerful, admired, or that stalker’s relationship with victim is their destiny) • Stalker’s fantasy of self + rejection (real or imagined) leads to feelings of shame, humiliation, and finally to rage • Stalking increases feelings of Power & Control (reinforces narcissistic fantasy) • Obsession and maladaptive coping mechanisms

31. Stages of stalking • Catalysation • Development • Harassment • Intrusion • Contact

32. Catalysation • Stalker has some connection to victim. • Intimate relationship • Delusional relationship

33. Development • Stalker develops high level of interest in victim. • Stalker desires to be the center of victim’s life. • Stalker begins to feel extreme like or extreme dislike of victim.

34. Harassment • Victim becomes aware of the stalker • Extreme affection for victim • Telephone harassment • Obscene calls, hang up calls etc… • Love notes, flowers, cards, gifts etc… • Extreme dislike or hatred of victim • Vandalism • Telephone harassment • Threatening calls, silent calls, hang up calls etc… • Hate mail

35. Intrusion • Increased confidence of stalker • Stalking feels good • Position of power and control • Feelings of superiority • Thrill of getting away with it

36. Contact • Physical Proximity • Following, watching, driving by in car • Approaching victim in public place • Direct confrontation in public • Physical contact with victim • Violent act • Mental abuse (violent threat) • Physical assault • Sexual assault • Murder

37. What makes Stalking difficult for Law Enforcement? • Varying Activity Levels Over Several Years • Incidents in Multiple Jurisdictions • Difficult to Identify/ Officer Misconceptions • Course of Conduct Defines the Crime • Single acts may only be illegal within overall scheme • Few Witnesses • Evidence (none; little; can’t be tied to stalker) • Law Enforcement Response Can Not Guarantee Stalking Will Stop

38. What About Stalking Can Make It Easy to Investigate? • Same Victim • Same Offender • Same Locations • Stalking Is A Course of Conduct • Ongoing Long-Term Crime

39. Stalking Investigation

40. First Responder • Any time there is a report of harassing behavior – look for stalking! • Any time there is more than one incident of harassment – treat the case as stalking! • Determine if there is any prior police involvement • Remember: victims often put up with stalking for a long time before reporting it

41. Follow Up Investigation • Threat Assessment • Establishing Corroboration

42. What does threat assessment tell us? • Which individuals show signs that demonstrate they pose a risk at a particular point in time. • All other individuals are of “unknown risk”. • We can never use risk assessment to determine that a person is Not a risk!

43. Information About Victim • How well does suspect know victim? • Is victim vulnerable to attack? • Target Hardening: ways to make the victim less vulnerable to an attack • Is victim in fear? • Why? • Victim’s family, friends, coworkers? • Is victim naive about the danger?

44. Information About Stalker Thorough documentation of any: • Prior threats • Pursuit or following • Emotional outbursts or rage • Mental illness • Substance abuse • Animal abuse • Possession or fascination with weapons • Violations of Protective Orders

45. Document and compile all of stalker’s criminal history and contacts with law enforcement

46. Use a threat assessment worksheet or other device so that you do not forget anything • The victim is likely going to be your best source of information

47. Suspect’s behavior • Is there a pattern of increasingly more personal communications? • Vague messages followed by more personal communications • Have there been any changes (increase or decrease) in the frequency of the stalker’s activities or communications?

48. Is there any evidence that the stalker is planning something? • Does the stalker possess any instructional books or other materials about harming others? (Bomb making etc…)

49. Develop a time line of the stalking behaviors towards the victim.

50. Have there been “rehearsals” of the act that is being threatened? • Can be verbal “picture painting” • “Let me tell you what I'm going to do . . .” • Partial re-enactments • Showing someone the weapon you intend to use or the place where you’re going to kill or bury them. • Symbolic violence • Cutting the head off a toy doll belonging to or representing the victim.