This year our nation experienced the first public health emergency being declared by a government official regarding domestic violence. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick declared a "state of emergency" stemming from the exponential rise in the numbers of domestic violence related deaths in that state. Nationwide, law enforcement officials indicate a dramatic increase in restraining orders as well as stalking cases that involve the use of technology. This is not good news for our nation's domestic violence and stalking victims.
The Department of Justice statistical report of June 29, 2006 indicates on average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in this country every day. Approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States every year. Every 12 seconds a woman is beaten in this country as the result of domestic violence. The FBI reports that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 to 44-more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Victim resources continue to be overwhelmed across the nation.
Domestic violence victims' greatest service needs are for temporary and permanent safe housing, financial assistance, and counseling. In addition, domestic violence and stalking victims' also need access to social service support and advocacy, legal representation, vocational training and childcare. However, the victims needs don't stop there. The World Wide Web has created a new criminal epidemic known as cyberstalking. Cyberstalking impacts millions within the U.S. and a substantial number of cyberstalking victims are victims of domestic abuse. Far too often domestic violence victims become cyberstalking victims and our nation's resources and antiquated laws are not equipped to tackle these more difficult cases involving the use of technology.
Domestic abusers have extended their reach in ways unlike ever before. For millions of domestic abuse victims' who are already the target of an abuser, and need to keep data from them it is particularly difficult in the 21st century primarily because of the on-line datafurnishing industry and the many databases that house consumer private records information. Cyberstalking is a growing threat in our increasingly automated, technology-dependant society. Technology today allows for anyone including domestic abusers to harass and intimidate with no repercussions because their handiwork is nearly untraceable.
Privacy protection is important to everyone; however, for victims of domestic violence privacy protection is far too often a matter of life or death. Domestic violence victims' who do the "right thing" and seek aid from government agencies and the courts create technological trails of their private lives in government records and on-line databases allowing for domestic abusers to become cyberstalkers with ease. Phone records, social security numbers, employment information, property records, credit information, medical records and more is available on-line today making a victims' path to freedom more difficult than ever before.
A cyberstalker relies upon their ability to harass, torture, manipulate, control and in some cases ruin a victim's life- anonymously avoiding detection and prosecution. Unlike traditional stalkers who harass their victims in person by perpetrating acts outside of their homes; cyberstalkers anonymously stalk their prey while sitting comfortably behind computer screens. With the "click of the mouse" cyberstalkers are baffling law enforcement and prosecutors while making victims lives miserable. Within seconds vast amounts of consumer private records and information can be sent and received; far too often this information ends up in the wrong hands of a domestic abuser now a merciless cyberstalker.
However; not all technology is having a negative impact on victims. There is new hope for many victims with orders of protection that are often regarded as "worthless pieces of paper". The use of GPS technology with restraining orders is one way that technology is helping to improve the quality of life for many victims of stalking and abuse.
Today, GPS technology may be utilized with restraining orders in 13 states. California is amongst 4 other states that are in the initial stages of proposing similar legislation this coming year.
If you are a victim of domestic violence or cyberstalking you are not alone. For more information contact Alexis A. Moore, President and Founder of Survivors In Action. Alexis@survivorsinaction.com.
