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Team Seeks To Help Stalking Victims

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By MEGAN HUSSEY, Tribune correspondent

Published: January 15, 2008

DADE CITY - Stalking "is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear," according to a National Center for Victims of Crime Stalking fact sheet supplied at Monday's Pasco County Fatality Review Team news conference.

The conference was held at Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center in acknowledgement of January's National Stalking Awareness Month.

Nationally, according to the book "Stalking in America," more than 1 million women and 370,990 men are stalked annually, an informational packet states. In Florida, 589 incidents of aggravated and simple stalking were reported in 2006, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

There were 20 reported incidents of aggravated and simple stalking in Pasco County during 2006, FDLE reports show. The rate of reported stalking incidents in Pasco is 1.47 times greater than that of the state; in addition, Pasco recorded a 300 percent increase in reported aggravated stalkings from 2005 to 2006.

A statement read at the conference from an "Anonymous Victim of Stalking" hints at the fear victims live with.

"This is my testimony as a survivor," the victim said in the statement. "I wish to remain unnamed. What I can say is that I'm a mother, a sister and a daughter. What I have lived through can only be explained by my tears.

"I was in a relationship for five years. I had fallen in love, but that love soon became a nightmare. Not only was I a victim of physical/emotional and sexual abuse but I was also constantly stalked by my partner. ... Everywhere I went, he had to follow. It was living without privacy and independence."

In 2003, the fatality review team became one of 15 in Florida working to stop stalking and domestic violence - and the deaths that result.

According to a stalking fact sheet, "76 percent of intimate partner femicide homicide victims had been stalked by their intimate partner."

The purpose of the team is to "examine cases that resulted in a fatality to identify ways to prevent domestic violence by intervening early, improving the responses of individuals, and identifying potential changes in policy or procedures that might prevent future deaths," a statement said.

"Our main goal is focused on victim safety," said Terri O'Brien, team chairwoman and director of community education at Sunrise. "This is about the agencies working together."

At Monday's conference, representatives of several agencies shared their experiences and methods of dealing with stalking and domestic violence crimes.

The agencies included the Zephyrhills and Dade City police departments; the Pasco County Health Department; Pasco County schools; the Department of Juvenile Justice; Sunrise; the Department of Corrections; the Pasco Ministerial Association; the State Attorney's Office; the Pasco Department of Children and Families, the Pasco County Clerk of Court Office; The Harbor; LifeSource Counseling; and the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program of West Pasco.

"We're seeing more cases, and we try to find ways to help protect the victim," said Lynn Needs, Salvation Army representative. "Protecting children from this viable threat is even more of a challenge."

O'Brien discussed ways in which the Zephyrhills and Dade City police departments work with Sunrise on victim education; in addition, these police departments refer victims to the agency.

In addition, Pasco schools representative Scott Leu said the district is preparing a cyberstalking education program that teaches students about the dangers of harassment online and through phone communications.

A copy of the 2008 Senate resolution designating January as National Stalking Month and a statement from Pasco Circuit Court Judge Lynn Tepper were presented Monday.

"Stalking is a pervasive and expanding form of domestic violence. People who willfully, maliciously and repeatedly engage in this are violating Florida law," Tepper wrote. "Judges, lawyers and parents must become knowledgeable about this area of the law. Law enforcement officers and victims advocates must be able to effectively deal with victims of stalking who may be too terrorized ... to willingly assist in making a case."

Plans for the team include setting up a booth to provide information at the Pasco County Fair, and preparing fliers and posters, O'Brien said.

AGENCIES TO CALL FOR HELP

Sunrise of Pasco County Inc. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center (serving east Pasco residents): 24-hour hot line: (352) 521-3120; toll-free: 1-800-500-1119

The Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program of West Pasco: 24-hour hot line: (727) 856-5797

The National Center for Victims of Crime: 1-800-211-7996 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Pasco County Sheriff's Office:

(352) 521-5100 (East)

(813) 996-6982 (Central)

(727) 847-5878 (West)

Dade City Police Department: (352) 521-1493

Port Richey Police Department: (727) 816-1919

New Port Richey Police Department: (727) 841-4550.

Zephyrhills Police Department: (813) 780-0050

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