Group, communities statewide mark Stalking Awareness Month

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence and 30 sexual and domestic violence advocacy organizations statewide recognize national Stalking Awareness Month in January. Stalking affects 3.4 million victims each year, including thousands of Kansans.

KCSDV encourages all Kansans to learn more about stalking and to know how to find resources for victims in their community.

"Stalking has a devastating impact on victims and communities, whether the crime is committed by an intimate partner or a stranger," Joyce Grover, executive director of KCSDV, said. In Kansas, 820 incidents of stalking were reported to law enforcement and 4,756 protection from stalking orders were filed in Kansas courts in 2009, according to a statement released by KCSDV.

"We know that for every victim who reports to law enforcement or who seeks a protection order, there are countless others who aren't coming forward. We encourage communities to work together to provide support for victims, to hold offenders accountable and to prevent future tragedies," Grover said.

According to KCSDV, in one out of every five cases nationally, stalkers use weapons to harm or threaten victims. In abusive relationships, stalking is one of the most significant risk factors for homicide of females. Nationally, in 76 percent of intimate partner homicides, the victims were stalked by their partner prior to their murder. Eighty-nine percent of female homicide victims had been both physically assaulted and stalked in the 12 months prior to their murder.

KCSDV says stalking is often difficult to recognize, investigate and prosecute because unlike other crimes, stalking is a series of acts -- a course of conduct that causes fear. Stalking can take many forms, including: following, continuously contacting, abusing pets and vandalism. The U.S. Department of Justice reported that 46 percent of stalking victims experience at least one unwanted contact per week, and three out of four victims are stalked by someone they know.

One in eight employed victims lose time from work and one in seven victims moves as a result of being stalked.

KCSDV encourages everyone to know the Kansas Crisis Hotline number, (888) END-ABUSE (888-363-2287), and the kcsdv.org website, which includes information about where to find services for survivors in the local community.