M8.2 Discussion Research on Homicide and Stalking

*Required Reading: M8 Content Guide Stalking and Homicide Risks and Incidence Gosselin: Chapter 12 Stalking and Homicide This assignment meets CLO 3 and 4 and MLO 1 and 3. Your friend Sara tells her family members in confidence that she thinks that her ex-boyfriend, Jim, is following her. She describes seeing him in various places around campus, but he does not attend the same college that she does. Recently she has been receiving hang-up calls in the middle of the night. Her ex-boyfriend's car was parked outside the bar the night before when she went out with friends. The whole thing is making her and her family feel really creepy. He had also been sending her letters, going into her apartment without permission, sending her unwanted gifts, and stalking her through Facebook and Instagram using fake profiles. Sara shares with her sister that they had broken up two months before because he was so jealous. Jim has been known to have an explosive temper, but Sara claims that he had never hit her. One day Sara arrives at her sister's house badly bruised. Her sister decides enough is enough and seeks help from you. Instructions: Drawing on what you have learned in the course and three other scholarly resources, analyze this situation as if you were either a police detective investigating the abuse or a victim's advocate supporting this family (choose only one). Identify forms of stalking behavior and characteristic being displayed in Sara's story. What is your role in helping Sara? What kind of questions would you ask? How would you assess the level and probability of danger? What immediate actions, if any, would you take to help Sara? What factors would you consider as you either investigate the case (police) or support the family (advocate). What resources would you access to help Sara? How might your approach differ depending on your role as law enforcement or advocate? Discuss the risk of intimate partner homicide and familicide in this case and ways you might help to prevent it. Discussion Participation Tips Initial Post: Your initial post should be a logical and thoughtful response to questions posted and typically should be at least 100 words.