According to a U.S. Department of Justice research report, 17 percent of Native American women will be stalked in their lifetime. This is twice the national average for other ethnic groups within the nation.
"Stalking is a serious problem faced by both men and women," said Behavioral Health Clinician Deanna Carpitche of the Chickasaw Nation. "Native Americans are more likely than any other race to have issues with stalking."
Research studies from the Stalking Research Center show that one in six women and one in 19 men will experience stalking at some point in their lives. The victims of stalkers live in a heightened state of fear, often compared by mental health officials to veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorders. They feel vulnerable, which can lead to depression, irritability and feelings of anxiousness.
A year ago, Emily seemed to have the perfect life. Married for six years with two boys, she had the stereotypical three bedroom house, two cars and job as an executive assistant at a small body shop east of her home town. From the outside, her life and marriage seemed fine.
Back then her typical day began at 5 a.m. to ensure breakfast was ready for her husband and the children were ready for school. Emily knew the slightest deviance from the morning schedule could set her controlling husband off, which would lead to a tirade of emotional and verbal abuse.
On a not so typical day, she would awake at 4 a.m. Emily would need to get up early to apply extra make-up and search her wardrobe for clothing that would hide the bruises on her face, arms, legs and neck. Coworkers, friends and family did not comment on her long sleeve shirts or turtle necks. They assumed Emily was being conservative in her dress. On the rare occasions they did comment, she seemed extraordinarily clumsy as she explained she fell on the children's toys, tripped over a branch or had a sporting accident over the weekend. Friends accepted these explanations at face value. After all, her life looked perfect.
When the not so typical days became more and more frequent, Emily decided to leave her husband after confiding to friends. She learned that what she thought was normal, what she had seen growing up in her parent's household and then within her own marriage, was indeed not and that the cycle of abuse that she had endured had to end.
When her husband left the home, she thought the abuse would as well. It did not. Taking on a form of physiological warfare, Emily became one of the 3.4 million Americans stalked in the United States each year. Calling her telephone at all hours of the day and night, showing up at random places where she and her children were, sending gifts, letters and frequent drive-bys of her home all lead to Emily feeling afraid and fearing for her safety.
"Stalking is a form of mental assault in which the perpetrator repeatedly, unwontedly and disruptively breaks into the life and world of a victim," said Sgt. Phillip Wood, Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. "The risk of stalking is highest for individuals who are divorced or separated."
The impact on victims is substantial. Mental and physical health is affected to varying degrees. Depending on the level of stalking and individual personality traits of the victim, commonly reported symptoms include fatigue, trouble sleeping, chronic headaches and hypertension and diet problems.
"Anxiety, paranoia, depression and mood changes are reported by victims," said Carpitche. "They will often become more stressed as their daily habits and routines change. As you know, stress can manifest itself in physical ailments. "
Work, social and personal finances are affected as well. Performance at work decreases as stress level rises. As many as one in eight employed stalking victims lose some time from work as a result of their victimization and more than half lose more than 5 days. Victims report accrued out-of-pocket costs for things such as attorney fees, damage to property and changing phone numbers. Almost all changed their daily habits.
As with most stalking incidents, Emily knew her assailant. This is not always true. One in four stalking victims does not know their stalker intimately (spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend). Most incidents involve men stalking women, but men do stalk men, women do stalk women and men can be stalked by women.
How to Stop Stalking if it Occurs
If a victim is not in immediate danger, contact a crisis hotline, victim service agency or a domestic violence/rape crisis program. They will help develop a safety plan. Safety plans ensure short and long term protection against stalkers. These include arranging alternate living arrangements, providing information about laws and will refer a victim to local services who help with court or protective orders to stop harassing activities.
"The Chickasaw Nation is one of many organizations that provide services to Native Americans in crisis situations," said Carpitche. "The Office of Violence Prevention provides counselors, emergency shelter and referrals to other services, both within and outside of the Chickasaw Nation."
If in immediate danger, call 911 or other emergency response provider. Trust your instincts and don't downplay the danger. Take threats seriously. Every state has anti-stalking laws to protect victims and their property. The District of Columbia and all U.S. Territories have enacted criminal and civil laws to address stalking.
"There are laws in place to protect victims of stalking," said Court Clerk Wayne Joplin of the Chickasaw Nation. "Many tribal courts, including our own, have emergency and permanent protective orders that can be placed on stalkers. They mirror the states and we have agreements with law enforcement agencies within our 13-county boundary to make sure our citizens are protected."
People who are being stalked should keep a detailed log of incidents and behaviors involving the stalker. The log will be crucial for protection orders, criminal, divorce proceedings and child custody cases. This log will also serve to preserve the memories of individual incidents that may need to be recalled for later testimony. The log should document all stalking related behavior. This includes phone calls, text messages, letters, email messages, malicious injury to personal property and threats communicated through third parties.
Joplin states that a protective order adds a criminal consequence when a defendant is caught stalking.
"A common myth is that protective orders are not worth the paper they are written on. That is not true. With the right safety planning, victim preparation and attentive law enforcement, protective orders are powerful tools. People who are being stalked should contact their tribal, county or state police agencies if they have need of protective orders."
For more information or assistance, contact the Chickasaw Nation Office of Violence Prevention at (580) 272-5580.
