Electronic stalking/harassment is a crime.

Electronic stalking/harassment is a crime.

Dear Representative

To: Governor Rick Perry, Member of the Texas Congress, the President of the United States, and Members of the U.S. Congress

Electronic Stalking/Harassment IS a Crime

My roommate had a stalker a few years ago. He would call and text until she would answer (which could add up to about 50 calls and texts). If she would turn off her phone, he would show up at our apartment and beat on the door. If she answered the phone and say we weren't home, he would say why are your lights on? He would follow her to class and wait in the parking lot until after classes. One time at lunch (in front of classmates) she told him to leave her alone and walked away. He started yelling "Kate" and because she kept walking he threw his laptop on the pavement and started cursing at her. He never threatened her or cause bodily harm therefore, the local police said this doesn't apply as stalking or harassment. She was a lucky one. Many women end up murdered.
The Texas Penal Code states Sec. 42.07. HARASSMENT. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, or embarrass another, he: (7) sends repeated electronic communications in a manner reasonably likely to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, embarrass, or offend another. So why did Ft. Worth decide that repeatingly calling someone is not stalking? They claim that the telephone-harassment law is too vague, a state appeals court ruled recently in the case of a man charged under the law for repeatedly calling his ex-wife. The Court of Appeals of Texas, 4th District, agreed with the defendant in Scott v. State in its June 24, 2009, opinion. The appeals court noted that much annoying and alarming speech could be protected by the First Amendment. A police officer in Texarkana, Texas was asked the samescenario. He said if she is annoyed then it considered harassment, but if she is afraid for her life it would be considered stalking. In Texarkana this case would still be considered stalking and harassment. Bonham Police said they would consider this case stalking but it would be hard to charge because of this Ft. Worth case.
These situations show the inconsistencies in the state of Texas, when there should be one law that everyone should abide by. We want consecutive electronic harassment/stalking (e-mails, texts, phone calls) to be a crime. There has to be three consecutive incidences to be considered a crime. We want appropriate jail time and counseling for the perpetrator. Oklahoma provides their police departments with stalking and harassment training and has been proven successful.

Recent Stalking Statistics--The 2009 U.S. Department of Justice Report

In January of 2009, The U.S. Department of Justice released a report based on a national crime victims survey of stalking and harassment victims. Below are just a few of the statistics of this 16 page report.
• During a 12-month period an estimated 14 in every 1,000 persons age 18 or older were victims of stalking.
• About half (46%) of stalking victims experienced at least one unwanted contact per week, and 11% of victims said they had been stalked for 5 years or more.
• About 43% of victims stated that police were contacted at least once regarding the stalking.
• Approximately 1 in 4 stalking victims reported some form of cyber stalking such as e-mail (83%) or instant messaging (35%).
• 46% of stalking victims felt fear of not knowing what would happen next.
• Nearly 3 in 4 stalking victims knew their offender in some capacity.

Effects of stalking

In their 2009 report, the U.S. Department of Justice reports the impact of stalking on the victims:
• 46.1% reported fear of not knowing what would happen next. 29.1% were afraid the behavior would never stop.
• More than half of the stalking victims feared bodily harm to themselves, their child, or another family member.
• 1 in 7 victims had to move to escape the stalker/s.
• About 3 in 10 of stalking victims accrued out-of-pocket costs for things such as attorney fees, security measures/devices, damage to property, child care costs, moving expenses, or changing phone numbers.
• More than half of stalking victims lost 5 or more days from work. (Also leads to loss of income).
•Anger/annoyance was the most common emotion experienced by victims (72%).

The laws must be revised so that people do no longer have to live in fear because of the retaliation of another’s behavior towards them. There may not be violence up front, but when do you know the violence will begin. What if there was no violence and one day he/she snapped and killed the person they were stalking? You never know when a person will snap and allowing them to legally torment a person could fall under emotional abuse, which is basically a legal way to abuse someone. The laws need to catch up with today’s technology or there will be a lot more crimes on the hands of our legislatures.

[Your name]