Courts fail to protect stalking victim

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Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00

Written by Jeff Garvas

Cincinnati's wcpo.com is reporting that a woman who had been hiding from her husband because she feared for her life is now dead. A related story revealed that the man was in violation of a temporary protection order when he waited for his estranged wife to get home and then shot her.

From the story:

Neighbors tell 9News that she had been avoiding her home and hiding, along with their two daughters, because she knew he was looking for her.

They say she even wore wigs and hats as disguises.

But when he found and confronted her in her driveway Sunday morning, neighbors heard shots.

"We saw the woman lying on her back," said David Bortz, a witness. "She was right in front of her garage and that's when we came over to her and saw the bullet wounds. She had tears in her shirt -- it was unbelievable."

We published a story here not long ago from the "Sandusky Register" that looked at what it takes to survive a stalker. That story referenced the Web Site stalkingvictims.com and some suggested tips to keep a person safe in case they become a stalking victim. However, there is not one mention as to the most effective defense a person in Ohio currently has. That is purchasing a handgun, getting the proper training and obtaining a concealed handgun license for self defense purposes.

Stalkingvictims.com provides a detailed list of things to do when a person finds themselves in this situation. It appears as if the woman in this story tried her best to follow similar guide lines and avoid her killer. She also notified the police and the man was arrested two weeks ago. He was then charged with domestic violence and aggravated menacing which led to him being placed under a temporary restraining order. Unfortunately for this woman those efforts were not enough.

As the WCPO story mentions, "Amy's Law" which is designed to prevent crimes like this was signed by Governor Taft last month. The law does not go into effect until August. It establishes additional procedures for a court to follow when making bond/bail determinations in domestic violence cases. It gets the name "Amy's Law" from Amy Rezos, whose husband Christopher Rezos is serving a 30-year prison sentence for trying to kill her three times.

We hope the new law will be an effective tool for judges to use to combat this type of crime. However, as many "stalking experts" advise, You are the last line of defense. The police and the courts cannot be at your side 24 hours a day. Do whatever it takes to keep you and your loved ones safe.

This should include purchasing a handgun, getting the proper training and obtaining a concealed handgun license.

Comments by Larry S. Moore, OFCC, Senate District 10 Coordinator:

"Amy's law" may be one step in the right direction. But there is no substitute for a woman being able to protect herself. Women should not have to live in fear from their husbands. This story makes it abundantly evident that the court orders and previous arrests did not erase that fear. The system could not protect her. The fear remained as evidenced by the attempts to hide behind wigs and disguises. What a shame that many in the domestic and battered women's shelters do not encourage these women to get instruction in self-defense and a concealed handgun license.

We can never assume how this story, and many others like it, might turn out. We do know that when education and a good degree of control over one's destiny are combined, then fear and the victim mentality can be removed.

Of course there are still those newspapers who would have provided the woman's name and county to the stalker husband. I wonder what advice Toledo Police Chief Navarre would offer to women in this situation?

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