Women's Resources of Monroe County

Community Education

Community education programs raise awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault, serve as outreach to victims, increase our presence in the community and contribute to fund raising. Programs are available to the faith community, businesses, professionals, and community service groups. There is no fee for a program in Monroe County.

Professional in-services are offered to health and human service agencies in order to improve their response to victims.

Medical Community
“Improving Response to Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence,” is a 3.6 credit workshop, approved by the Pennsylvania State Nursing Association, that is available to nurses free of charge. This is an excellent continuing education opportunity for nurses. We also offer a Pennsylvania State accredited continuing education course for Emergency Medical Technicians entitled Domestic Violence in the Field.

Workplace
Domestic Violence in the Workplace is a program that brings this important information into the office and work environment. It helps employers whether supervisors or employees, learn what to do, what to say and how to help. These programs are being presented in factories, beauty salons, offices, and schools - anywhere people work. Sexual Harassment training is also available.

“Whatever was wrong with your personal life, you kept to yourself. That’s the way it was. You kept it at home because those problems were not welcome in the workplace. But, over time, many employers came to understand that the social problems affecting employees were not good for business. So the office became a source of support for health woes, for alcoholism and childcare and AIDS. Now it’s time to note another social problem that business America is beginning to grapple with: domestic violence. And to urge a continued and expanded effort against it.” - Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct, 1997

Faith Community
Women’s Resources recently formed a Faith Task Force with representation from diverse faith communities. This committed group of Pastors, Rabbis and lay leaders will be pro-active in assisting victims and speaking out against domestic and sexual violence from a faith based prospective. WR has visited many area churches and houses of worship over the years. The video: Broken Vows, which explores the response to domestic violence in the Judeo-Christian tradition, is available to see and help stimulate discussion and awareness in fellowship groups. We are also part of an inter-faith committee working on a county wide ‘Stop The Hate’ vigils every October, which bring awareness of hate violence and help ‘stop the hate.’

Broken Vows is “..simply the best resource available to awaken people to the devastating effect of abuse.” – Ray S. Anderson, Professor of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.

Trainings have been provided to Security Guards and Mental Health/Mental Retardation facilities. Customized programs are available upon request. We also provide guest speakers for luncheons, dinners and other special events, and will provide information tables at community health fairs and events. How can we assist you?

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and October is Domestic Violence Awareness month; special educational events are planned each year at these times to help increase public knowledge on the issues. (see events) We also publish a quarterly newsletter.

STALKING IN AMERICA

1,006,970 women and 370,990 men are stalked annually in the U.S.
1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetime.
77% of female victims and 64% of male victims know their stalker.
87% of stalkers are men.
59% of female victims and 30% of male victims are stalked by an intimate partner.
81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner.
31% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also sexually assaulted by that partner.
73% of intimate partner stalkers verbally threatened victims with physical violence, and almost 46% of victims experienced one or more violent incidents by the stalker.
The average duration of stalking is 1.8 years.
If stalking involves intimate partners, the average duration of stalking increases to 2.2 years.
28% of female victims and 10% of male victims obtained a protective order. 69% of female victims and 81% of male victims had the protection order violated.[Tjaden & Thoennes. (1998). “Stalking in America,” NIJ.]

IMPACT OF STALKING ON VICTIMS

56% of women stalked took some type of self-protective measure, often as drastic as relocating (11%). [Tjaden & Thoennes. (1998). “Stalking in America,” NIJ]
26% of stalking victims lost time from work as a result of their victimization, and 7% never returned to work. [Tjaden & Thoennes.]
30% of female victims and 20% of male victims sought psychological counseling. [Tjaden & Thoennes.]
The prevalence of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression is much higher among stalking victims than the general population, especially if the stalking involves being followed or having one’s property destroyed. [Blauuw et. al. (2002). “The Toll of Stalking,” Journal of Interpersonal Violence]

THE STALKING RESOURCE CENTER

The Stalking Resource Center is a program of the National Center for Victims of Crime. Our dual mission is to raise national awareness of stalking and to encourage the development and implementation of multidisciplinary responses to stalking in local communities across the country. We can provide you with:

Training and Technical Assistance
Protocol Development
Resources
Help in collaborating with other agencies and systems in your community

2/3 of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week, many daily, using more than one method.
78% of stalkers use more than one means of approach.
Weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in 1 out of 5 cases.
Almost 1/3 of stalkers have stalked before.
Intimate partner stalkers frequently approach their targets, and their behaviors escalate quickly.

STALKING AND INTIMATE PARTNER FEMICIDE *

76% of intimate partner femicide (murder) victims had been stalked by their intimate partner.
67% had been physically abused by their intimate partner.
89% of femicide victims who had been physically abused had also been stalked in the 12 months before the murder.
79% of abused femicide victims reported stalking during the same period that they reported abuse.
54% of femicide victims reported stalking to police before they were killed by their stalkers.

13% of college women were stalked during one six- to ninemonth period.
80% of campus stalking victims knew their stalkers.
3 in 10 college women reported being injured emotionally or psychologically from being stalked.

STATE LAWS *

Stalking is a crime under the laws of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government.
15 states classify stalking as a felony upon the first offense.
34 states classify stalking as a felony upon the second offense and/or when the crime involves aggravating factors. **
Aggravating factors may include: possession of a deadly weapon; violation of a court order or condition of probation/parole; victim under 16; same victim as prior occasions.