Stalking law gives more power to police, victims
By Rebecca Merritt
OriH/on (i{Hiy I rmnakl
Thanks la a now state law. Kugene police
officials aro no longer helpless when
responding to stalking complaints.
"The passage of this law has given us
a tool which is long overdue." said Tim
Birr, public information officer for the
Department of Public Safety. "The Ore
gon Legislature has accomplished an
incredible feat.”
Birr and local leaders of women sup
port groups emphasized the importance
of the new law at a Tuesday morning
news conference. The law. effective Sept
1, makes stalking a crime, prohibiting
people from deliberately alarming or
coerc ing another person with repeated
and unwonted contact without legitimate
purpose, said Erin Collier, a representa
tive of Sexual Assault Support Services of
I.ane County.
Stalking is n Class A misdemeanor and
a Class C felony if the suspect has a prior
conviction for stalking, or violates a police
or court protective order
"The law recognizes that repeated, ongo
ing harassment causes more harm than a
one time incident — it in fact amounts to
terrorism." said Judith Armatta. legal coun
sel for Oregon Coalition Against Domes
tic A Sexual Violence.
Before this new law. Birr said stalking
victims received limited help from |>olic«
officers. Police could make information
reports of stalking complaints, hut virtu
ally nothing could he done to stop the
accused offenders.
Since the law's passage Birr said the
police department has doalt with two stalk
ing offenders The department is also
aware of a number of situations where
women were being stalked prior to the new
law but have not had any problems with
theii stalkers during the past month
About 25 pen jsmt of the calls to the Sex
ual Assault Support Services crisis line
during September have been from peo
ple who were stalked or were interested
in learning more about the stalking law.
Collier said
Nadia Telsey. national self-defense con
sultant. said people who are stalked should
call the police to get a restraining order
against the stalker. People also need to
maximize their safety by getting a free
inspection of their home from the police,
using a post office box. not putting an
address or phone number on checks, and
puttings second phone in a locked room,
she said.
Those who think they are being stalked
should let friends and family know what
is happening for assistance and assur
ance. Women should also be aware of self
defense classes and weapons such as
cayenne pepper spray. Telsey said.
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Forest rally
scheduled
for today
Opponents of President Bill
Clinton’s forest plan will voice
their opinions this morning at a
public rally in front of the Fed
eral Building.
The rally, beginning at 10
a m., was organized to encour
age citizens to attend a public
hearing with U.S. Assistant Sec
retary of Agriculture Jeff Lyons
regarding the forest plan. The
hearing is scheduled for this
afternoon from 1 to 4 p.in. and
from 7 p.in. to 10 p.m. at the
Oregon State Fairgrounds in
Salem.
Representatives from the
Audubon Society. Forest Con
servation Council. Native Forest
Council, Sierra Club and West
ern Ancient Forests Campaign
will speak at the Eugene rally.
"We need to show that the
environmental community is
not going to be silent on the
issue," said Mike Purcell, a
member of Western Ancient
Forests Campaign.
An Ancient Forest Activists
rally is also scheduled for noon
today at the state fairgrounds in
Salem.
C.J. and the Salon
Welcomes
U. of O.
CALL 345-7132
Tiffany
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