In The News

Stalking: hope it never happens to you
Samantha Clemens, Cause and Effect World
WMFO 91.5 FM Medford
March 8, 2008

Have you ever been stalked or harassed by a stranger? Did you know that unless you can prove you have a substantive relationship with the abuser, you have no way to keep the person away from you under current law? So, if you are being stalked by a neighbor or a stranger, there is nothing you can do except take self-defense classes, and good luck if they bring a bomb to your workplace.

Did you also know that if you have been attacked in your home, raped, sexually assaulted or stalked, your landlord can evict you??

And there’s more…. did you know that if you have to take time off from work to deal with these issues, you currently have no protection from being penalized in the workplace???

Some facts:
• One million women and 371,000 men are stalked annually in the United States.
• 81% of women who are stalked by an intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner, and 76% of women who are killed by an intimate partner are also stalked by that partner.
• 74.2% of stalking victims report that being stalked interfered with their employment, 26% of stalking victims lose time from work as a result of the crime, and 7% of stalking victims never return to work.

Saturday, March 8, State Senator Pamela Resor (D - Middlesex/Worcestor County) and Isa Woldeguiorguis of Jane Doe Inc. were on the show to talk about legislation they are sponsoring to address these issues: why the legislation is needed, what happened at a hearing that took place on March 4, what happens next, and why they have taken the time to devote themselves to these issues.

Click here to listen to the interview: http://www.samanthaclemens.com/audio/2008-03-08-Stalking-Resor-Wald.mp3