This study examined stalking victims' experiences in the legal system.
Data for this study were gathered through extensive interviews with 187 women who were stalked by former intimate partners. Most victims initially attempted to handle the situation themselves, the majority ultimately sought assistance from the legal system. Logistic regression analyses examined predictors of legal help seeking. Predictors of seeking any type of legal help, filing for a protection from abuse order or temporary restraining order, and/or seeking police assistance included age (older women were more likely to seek help), race (white women were most likely to seek assistance), the presence of threats of violence, violent acts by the stalker, and length of stalking. Likert-type scale ratings by victims of the police, prosecutors', and judges' handling of their cases revealed greatest satisfaction with judges, followed by prosecutors. The study suggests ways in which the system can better respond to the needs of stalking victims. Policy recommendations include greater criminal justice responsiveness to victims of stalking and more coordinated efforts between the police and courts. Tables, notes, references
Downloads
Related Datasets
Similar Publications
- Race and Ethnic Differences in Mental Health Need and Services Received in Justice-Involved Youth
- Determining the Proper Evidentiary Basis for an Expert Opinion: What Do Experts Need to Know and When Do They Know Too Much?
- Analysis of Highly Degraded DNA from Bone Samples Using Probe Capture Enrichment of the Entire Mitochondrial Genome and Next Generation Sequencing