Stalking
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What is stalking?
Stalking is an extreme form of harassment and is considered a crime. It
is usually precipitated by a traumatic event perpetrated by the stalker,
such as rape or spouse abuse, but can begin simply with letters and
escalate into threats. Some of the common tactics used by stalkers are
subtle or blatant threatening letters or phone calls, loitering, following in
cars or other forms of transportation, having others assist in following
you, and any other tactic that occurs to the stalker to intimidate their
victim. About stalkers and stalking.
Stalking is an extreme form of harassment and is considered a crime. It
is usually precipitated by a traumatic event perpetrated by the stalker,
such as rape or spouse abuse, but can begin simply with letters and
escalate into threats. Some of the common tactics used by stalkers are
subtle or blatant threatening letters or phone calls, loitering, following in
cars or other forms of transportation, having others assist in following
you, and any other tactic that occurs to the stalker to intimidate their
victim. About stalkers and stalking.
The Stalking Resource Center is a program of the National Center for
Victims of Crime. Their dual mission is to raise national awareness of
stalking and to encourage the development and implementation of
multidisciplinary responses to stalking in local communities across the
country. They provide: training, technical assistance, protocol
development, resources, help in working with other local community
agencies
Victims of Crime. Their dual mission is to raise national awareness of
stalking and to encourage the development and implementation of
multidisciplinary responses to stalking in local communities across the
country. They provide: training, technical assistance, protocol
development, resources, help in working with other local community
agencies
All states have laws against stalking, some are better than others, some are harder to
enforce than others. When pursuing stalking charges be sure to go to your local legal aid
office for free assistance, it is important to understand that even if you have a protective
order or a stalking injunction against the stalker, the stalker will usually ignore it. However,
a protective order or stalking injunction is still a good idea because the police can be called
to arrest the stalker and there will be a record generated to help prove your case. Keeping
your own record of stalking incidences is important.
Federal Stalking Law: USC 18.1.110A Sec. 2261A. Stalking
Whoever--
(1) travels in interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime
and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves
Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or place under
surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another
person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel places that
person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, or
causes substantial emotional distress to that person, a member of the
immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or the
spouse or intimate partner of that person; or
(2) with the intent--
(A) to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill,
injure, harass, or intimidate, or cause substantial emotional distress to a
person in another State or tribal jurisdiction or within the special
maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States; or
(B) to place a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction, or within
the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,
in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to--
(i) that person;
(ii) a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115 \1\
)of that person; or
(iii) a spouse or intimate partner of that person;
uses the mail, any interactive computer service, or any facility of interstate
or foreign commerce to engage in a course of conduct that causes
substantial emotional distress to that person or places that person in
reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any of the persons
described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B); \2\ shall be
punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.
Amendments
2006--Pub. L. 109-162 amended section catchline and text generally, revising and
restating former provisions relating to stalking so as to include surveillance with intent
to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate which results in substantial emotional distress to a person
within the purview of the offense proscribed.
2000--Pub. L. 106-386 reenacted section catchline without change and amended
text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ``Whoever travels across
a State line or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United
States with the intent to injure or harass another person, and in the course of, or as
a result of, such travel places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or
serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365(g)(3) of this title) to, that person or
a member of that person's immediate family (as defined in section 115 of this title)
shall be punished as provided in section 2261 of this title.''
enforce than others. When pursuing stalking charges be sure to go to your local legal aid
office for free assistance, it is important to understand that even if you have a protective
order or a stalking injunction against the stalker, the stalker will usually ignore it. However,
a protective order or stalking injunction is still a good idea because the police can be called
to arrest the stalker and there will be a record generated to help prove your case. Keeping
your own record of stalking incidences is important.
Federal Stalking Law: USC 18.1.110A Sec. 2261A. Stalking
Whoever--
(1) travels in interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime
and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves
Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or place under
surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another
person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel places that
person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, or
causes substantial emotional distress to that person, a member of the
immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or the
spouse or intimate partner of that person; or
(2) with the intent--
(A) to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill,
injure, harass, or intimidate, or cause substantial emotional distress to a
person in another State or tribal jurisdiction or within the special
maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States; or
(B) to place a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction, or within
the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,
in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to--
(i) that person;
(ii) a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115 \1\
)of that person; or
(iii) a spouse or intimate partner of that person;
uses the mail, any interactive computer service, or any facility of interstate
or foreign commerce to engage in a course of conduct that causes
substantial emotional distress to that person or places that person in
reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any of the persons
described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B); \2\ shall be
punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.
Amendments
2006--Pub. L. 109-162 amended section catchline and text generally, revising and
restating former provisions relating to stalking so as to include surveillance with intent
to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate which results in substantial emotional distress to a person
within the purview of the offense proscribed.
2000--Pub. L. 106-386 reenacted section catchline without change and amended
text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ``Whoever travels across
a State line or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United
States with the intent to injure or harass another person, and in the course of, or as
a result of, such travel places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or
serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365(g)(3) of this title) to, that person or
a member of that person's immediate family (as defined in section 115 of this title)
shall be punished as provided in section 2261 of this title.''
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