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Stalking in Later Life
Triangle Conference on Crimes Against Women
• August 28-29, 2014Williamsburg, VA
www.victimsofcrime.org/src
Elaina Roberts, JD
Program Attorney
[email protected]
Sue Ryan, JD
Program Attorney
[email protected]
Presented by:
Stalking Resource Center
National Center for Victims of Crime
Training
Technical
Assistance
Resources
• Statutes
• Legislative
Updates
• Manuals/Guides
• Videos
• Clearinghouse
The Stalking Resource Center is a program of the
National Center for Victims of Crime. The mission of the
Stalking Resource Center is to enhance the ability of
professionals, organizations, and systems to effectively
respond to stalking.
The Stalking Resource Center provides training,
technical assistance, and resource materials for
professionals working with and responding to stalking
victims and offenders.
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Overview
Definition of “elderly”
Stalking
Prevalence
Dynamics
Working with elderly stalking victims
Definition of Elderly
Who qualifies as an elderly person?
Definition of Elderly: Age Based
There is no set standard for who qualifies as elderly:
Older Americans Act – age 60
Medicare – age 65
Tribal communities – ages 50 to 55
AARP – age 50
The term elderly can span four decades!
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Defining Stalking
Behavioral definition
Virginia stalking statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60.3
Any person, except a law-enforcement
officer, as defined in § 9.1-101, and acting in
the performance of his official duties, and a
registered private investigator, as defined in
§ 9.1-138, who is regulated in accordance
with § 9.1-139 and acting in the course of his
legitimate business, who on more than one
occasion
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60.3 cont.
engages in conduct directed at another
person with the intent to place, or when he
knows or reasonably should know that the
conduct places that other person in
reasonable fear of death, criminal sexual
assault, or bodily injury to that other person
or to that other person's family or household
member is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
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Behavioral Definition of Stalking
A pattern of behavior directed at
a specific person that would cause
a reasonable person to feel fear.
Stalking: Fear
What is difficult about this aspect of the crime of stalking?
Stalking
A pattern of behavior directed at
a specific person that would cause
a reasonable person to feel fear.
Context is critical!
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Prevalence of Stalking
6.6 million stalked in 1 year in U.S.
Rate
26.5 per 1,000
By gender
4% of women
1.3% of men
- The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report (2011)
Stalking Prevalence
Virginia population ~ 8,260,405
4,196,286 females
4,064,119 males
Roughly 220,685 cases in year
167,851 female stalking victims
52,834 male stalking victims
Do the Math
1. Take the population of
your community
2. Divide by 1000
3. Multiply by 26.5
4. Equals statistical number
of stalking cases in your
community each year
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Stalking Dynamics
18 – 24 year olds experience the highest rates of
stalking
Women are more likely to experience
stalking
Most stalkers are male
The majority of victims know the
stalker
Victim Offender Relationship
5.3%
19.0%
40.0%
41.4%
2.5%
6.8%
13.2%
24.0%
66.2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Person of authority
Family member
Stranger
Aquaintance
Current/formerintimate partner
Female
Male
- The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report (2011)
Age of Female Stalking Victims
- The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report (2011)
10 Years and Under
1% *
45+ years7%
35-44 years11%
11-17 years18%
25-34 years29%
18-24 years34%
* Estimate not
reported for ages
10 and younger
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Age of Male Stalking Victims
- The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report (2011)
10 years
11-17 years7%
45+ years14%
35-44 Years20%
18-24 years28%
25-34 years30%
* Estimate not
reported for ages
10 and under
Age of Stalking Victims
- Stalking Victimization in the United States, BJS (2009)
30%
28%
20%
17%
10%
4%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
18-19
20-24
25-34
35-49
50-64
65 or older
Common Stalking Behaviors
What stalking behaviors can you think of?
What have victims disclosed to you?
What stalking behaviors have you seen?
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Stalking Behaviors
12%
29%
31%
31%
34%
36%
66%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
leaving unwanted presents
waiting for victim
showing up at places
unwanted letters and email
following or spying
spreading rumors
unwanted phone calls and messages
- Stalking Victimization in the United States, BJS (2009)
Forms of Technology
Phones – calls, messages, texts, pics, video
Cameras
Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Computers
Social networking sites
Email & IM
Spyware
Assistive technologies
Pattern of Behavior
- The RECON Typology of Stalking
- The RECON Typology of Stalking (2006)
2/3 of stalkers pursue their victim at least once per week
78% of stalkers use more than one means of approach
Weapons used to harm or threaten victims in about 20% of cases
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Duration of Stalking
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Don't know
5 years or more
4 years
3 years
2 years
1 year
7-11 months
6 months or less
–- Stalking Victimization in the United States, BJS (2009)
81% of stalking victims who were stalked by an
intimate partner reported that they had also been
physically assaulted by that partner.- National Violence Against Women Survey (1998)
3/4 of women who experienced stalking-related
behaviors experienced other forms of victimization
(sexual, physical, or both)
Stalking and physical assault only 8%
Stalking and rape/sexual assault only 26%
Stalking, physical and rape/sexual assault 11%
- Stalking acknowledgement and reporting among college women experiencing intrusive behaviors (2007)
Stalking & Domestic/Sexual Violence
Stalking and Other Crimes
Among stalking
cases…
24% involve property
damage
21% involve a direct
attack on the victim
15% involve an attack
on another person or pet
–- Stalking Victimization in the United States, BJS (2009)
54%
52%
30%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Opened/closedaccounts
Took money fromaccounts
Charged items tocredit card
Identity theft
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A Growing Population
Persons age 65 and older are expected to more
than double between 2012 and 2060
From 43.1 million to 92.0 million
1:5 US residents will be 65 or older by 2060
In 2056, for the first time, persons age 65 and over
are projected to outnumber those age 18 and under.
US Growth Rates
- US Census Bureau, 2012 Projections
Those age 85 and older are projected to more than
triple between 2012 and 2060.
From 5.9 million to 18.2 million
This will be 4.3% of the total population
US Growth Rate cont.
This is the fastest growing population!
-US Census Bureau, 2012 Projections
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States With The Most 65+ Populations
More than half (59%) of persons age 65+
live in:
California
Florida
Texas
New York
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Illinois
Michigan
North Carolina
New Jersey
Georgia
Virginia*
US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 2013
*Amongst a few states with the fastest growing population age 65+
Working With Elderly Stalking
Victims
Impact of Stalking on Victims
Reactions
• Minimization
• Self-blame
• Concentration difficulty
• Self-medicating
• PTSD
• Hypervigilance
Emotions
• Guilt
• Shame & embarrassment
• Frustration
• Anger
• Confusion
• Fear
• Depression
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Specific Challenges
What are some of the challenges older
victims of stalking face?
Reasons For Not Reporting
Victim is minimizing or is uncertain of the behaviors
Victim did report to someone but had a negative response
Victim is isolated
Reasons For Not Reporting
Fear of being put in a facility
The offender is a family member, intimate partner, or care-taker
Lack in understanding technology
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Reasons For Not Reporting
6%
10%
11%
11%
14%
27%
27%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Feared the perpetrator/afraid of reprisals
Couldn't identify offender/lacked evidence
Thought police wouldn't think it was important
or would be ineffective
Not clear a crime occurred
Reported to another official
Private or personal matter
Thought it a minor incident (minimization)
- Stalking Victimization in the United States, BJS (2009)
Reporting
By the time victims report to police, the
stalking behavior has been well
established and… victim-initiated
countermeasures have failed.
- Klein et al., (2009). A Statewide Study of Stalking and Its Criminal Justice Response.
How Might the Reporting Occur?
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Safety Planning
Safety for Stalking Victims
• Privacy
• Confidentiality
Service Providers
• Pros & cons
Protection Orders
• Employment; school; housing
• Offender notification option?
Safety Accommodations
Documentation is Key
Victim Logs
Police Reports
Evidence Preservation
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Documentation Log
STALKING INCIDENT LOG
Date Time Description of IncidentLocation of
IncidentWitness Name(s)
(Attach Address and Phone #)
Police Called(Report #)
Officer Name(Badge #)
Free to download at www.victimsofcrime.org/src
Stopastalker App
Advocacy
Allows the survivor to
remember more details
and put all the pieces in
place
Facilitates the transition
from traumatic memory to
day-to-day memory
Process by which we teach
victims that many reactions
to traumatic events are
normal
Reinforce that most
reactions of anger, fear,
frustration, guilt, and grief
are natural and common
Allow victims to tell their story Provide validation
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Advocacy & Support
Victims need
information
Reporting
Justice process
Can help victim
gain control
Safety strategies
Coping strategies
Prediction & Preparation Safety Planning
Safety Planning
Risk Reduction
•Practical tips for safety
Resources
•Services
•Individuals
Empowerment
•Coping Skills
•Autonomy
Important Issues to Consider
Victim’s life situation
Stalker-generated
risks
Systemic barriers
ConfidentialityUse of
Technology
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Steps of Safety Planning
•Victim storyListen
•Victim needsGoals
•Victim safetyRisks
•Judgment freeEducation
•Who can help?Resources
Threat Assessment
What Does Threat Assessment Tell Us?
We cannot use a threat assessment to determine that
a person is not a risk.
Threat level not fixed or constant.
Frequent assessments of threat are important.
Threat assessments should be as dynamic as the
situation the victim faces.
Snapshot showing whether a specific person
demonstrates a risk at a particular point in time.
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More Dangerous Times
Separation
Protective order served/criminal arrest
Offender’s loss of job, other life events
Multiple incidents in a short period of time –increase in quantity of contacts as well as escalation in behaviors
Most Dangerous Offenders
History of substance abuse
History of mental illness
History of violence, especially towards victim
Threats of murder or murder-suicide
Actual pursuit
Possession and/or fascination with weapons
Vandalism & arson
Tendency towards emotional outbursts and rage
History of violating protection orders
Look at Offender’s Behaviors
Pattern of increasingly more personal
communication
Any changes (increase or decrease) in the
frequency of activities or communications?
Evidence of planning?
Possess instructional books or materials about
harming others
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Stalking Violence
Where there is evidence of the presence of all of these factors, the risk of stalking violence is heightened.
- Women’s Experience of Violence During Stalking by Former Romantic Partners (2005)
Greatest risk of violence
Drug use
Jealous
Direct threats
Timeline
Look for escalation of threats
Text
messages
Dead roses
Threatening
call
Showed up at
workParked across
street all nightTires slashed
8/6/14 8/8/14 8/12/14 8/15/14 8/16/14 8/25/14
Texts
Threatening
call
Showed up at
work
Dead roses
Parked across
street all night
Tires slashed
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Threat Assessment Tools
Among others…
Danger Assessment - dangerassessment.org
Mosaic - mosaicmethod.com
Spousal Risk Assessment Guide (SARA)
Violence Risk Assessment Guide (VRAG)
Level of Service Inventory – Revised (LSI-R)
The Classification of Violence Risk (COVR)
Final Considerations
Approach the situation like any other stalking case
Suspend your disbelief – assume what the victim is
saying is true
Remember, these are often healthy, active, and
independent persons
Available for
download at www.ncvc.org/src
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Training
Technical
Assistance
Resources
In person training
Webinars
Individual & organizational assistance
Fact sheets, brochures, manuals, guides
Policy/protocol development & consultation
Videos
Online resources
Stalking Awareness Month materials
www.victimsofcrime.org/src
© National Center for Victims of Crime 2014
Content of this presentation may
be reproduced for educational
purposes with the permission of the
Stalking Resource Center.
Please contact the Stalking Resource
Center at [email protected] or 202-467-
8700 for permission.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2008-TA-AX-K017 awarded by the Office
on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings,
conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department
of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
