Justice Center research shows need for continued work in Alaska during National Stalking Awareness Month

Andre Rosay, former Justice
Center Director, Associate Dean,
College of Health, AVS principal
investigator

Statistics from the Justice Center's Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) were used throughout January, which is also National Stalking Awareness Month, to educate Alaskans about the need to make Alaska a safer place for women.  News outlets cited Justice Center research showing high rates of domestic violence - including that more than one in nine Alaskan women have experienced physical or psychological abuse in the last year -- and that one in four Anchorage women reported that they'd been stalked at some point in their lives. The Fairbanks Daily News Miner also highlighted a 2007 Justice Center report in partnership with Alaska State Troopers that documented high rates of sexual assault in the state.

Justice Center research in the news:

• Downtown assemblyman talks safety for Anchorage women, (includes video) Jan. 21, 2018 -- KTVA CBS 11 News
• Study: 1 in 3 Alaska women experience stalking (includes video) Jan 17, 2018 — KTVA CBS 11 News
• Least sexist state? Not yet, Alaska, not yet (opinion) Jan 13, 2018 — Anchorage Daily News
• Gathering brings #MeToo to Soldotna Jan 13, 2018 — Peninsula Clarion
• Looking Back: January 30, 2-018, Jan 30, 2018  — Fairbanks Daily News Miner. Article refers to research in Descriptive Analysis of Stalking Incidents Reported to Alaska State Troopers: 1994–2005 by André B. Rosay, Darryl S. Wood, Greg Postle, and Katherine H. TePas. Anchorage, AK: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, Feb 2007. (JC 0601.01).

Alaska Victimization Survey results show that 1 in 4 women in the Municipality of Anchorage have experienced stalking

New results from the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for the Municipality of Anchorage were released on January 27, 2017. The 2015 survey was conducted by the University of Alaska Anchorage for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA). These new results describe the number of women in the Municipality of Anchorage that have experienced stalking in their lifetimes and in the past year.

In defining stalking, the Alaska Victimization Survey includes eight of the common forms of nonconsensual contacts (being watched or followed; being approached at home, work, or school; finding strange or threatening items; having your home or car intruded; receiving unwanted voice or text messages; receiving unwanted phone calls; receiving unwanted emails or messages; receiving unwanted cards, flowers, or gifts). Respondents were instructed not to include bill collectors, telephone solicitors, or other sales people. Respondents experienced stalking if they experienced these nonconsensual contacts multiple times and expressed fear.

Results

The 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for the Municipality of Anchorage was conducted from May to August 2015. Findings include:

• 1 in 4 women in the Municipality of Anchorage have experienced stalking in their lifetime.
• 1 in 18 have experienced stalking in the past year.
• More than 30,400 women in the Municipality of Anchorage have experienced stalking in their lifetime.
• More than 6,100 have experienced stalking in the past year.

The 2015 survey also showed that stalking was particularly common among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence.

• Among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence in their lifetime, 46% (more than 24,400) were also stalked in their lifetime.
• Among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence in the past year, 28% (more than 2,200) were also stalked in the past year.

Details of the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey are available at the Alaska Victimization Survey website:

• Summary of estimates
• Media release

More Information

For more background on this project, visit http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/avs/
For more information about CDVSA, visit http://www.dps.state.ak.us/CDVSA/

Alaska Victimization Survey results in the news

New results from the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for Alaska statewide were released on January 17, 2017.  These results showed high prevalence rates of stalking, particularly among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence.  Overall, more than 80,800 women in Alaska have experienced stalking in their lifetime.

Details of the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey are available at the Alaska Victimization Survey website.

Read more about these new estimates:

• The Edge update: Alaska stalking, El Chapo extradited and warming global temperatures
  Jan 22, 2017 — The Northern Light
• Stalking in Alaska (10 PM broadcast: at 9:25)
  Jan 20, 2017 — KTVA Channel 11 News
• Victimization survey (6 PM broadcast: at 5:50)
  Jan 20, 2017 — KTVA Channel 11 News
• Survey: 1 in 3 Alaska women are stalked
  Jan 19, 2017 — Peninsula Clarion
• Survey: Alaska women report 'very high' rate of stalking
  Jan 19, 2017 — Alaska Dispatch News
• Chilling report finds that one in three women in Alaska have experienced stalking
  Jan 17, 2017 — Alaska Commons                               

Alaska Victimization Survey results show that 1 in 3 women in Alaska have experienced stalking

New results from the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for Alaska statewide were released on January 17, 2017. The 2015 survey was conducted by the University of Alaska Anchorage for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA). These new results describe the number of women in Alaska that have experienced stalking in their lifetimes and in the past year.

In defining stalking, the Alaska Victimization Survey includes eight of the common forms of nonconsensual contacts (being watched or followed; being approached at home, work, or school; finding strange or threatening items; having your home or car intruded; receiving unwanted voice or text messages; receiving unwanted phone calls; receiving unwanted emails or messages; receiving unwanted cards, flowers, or gifts). Respondents were instructed not to include bill collectors, telephone solicitors, or other sales people. Respondents experienced stalking if they experienced these nonconsensual contacts multiple times and expressed fear.

Results

The 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for Alaska statewide was conducted from May to August 2015. Findings include:

• 1 in 3 women in Alaska have experienced stalking in their lifetime.
• 1 in 17 have experienced stalking in the past year.
• More than 80,800 women in Alaska have experienced stalking in their lifetime.
• More than 15,300 have experienced stalking in the past year.

The 2015 survey also showed that stalking was particularly common among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence.

• Among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence in their lifetime, 50% (more than 66,800) were also stalked in their lifetime.
• Among women who experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence in the past year, 27% (more than 5,800) were also stalked in the past year.

Details of the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey are available at the Alaska Victimization Survey website:

• Summary of estimates
• Media release

More Information

For more background on this project, visit http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/avs/
For more information about CDVSA, visit http://www.dps.state.ak.us/CDVSA/

Dr. Rosay publishes article in "Sex Roles: A Journal of Research"

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, and former graduate student Dr. Amy Cass, now an Assistant Professor at California State University, Fullerton, have published an article, "College Student Perceptions of Criminal Justice Responses to Stalking," in the journal Sex Roles: A Journal of Research.

The research conducted by Drs. Cass and Rosay shows that victims’ gender and their relationship to perpetrators impact college students' perceptions of criminal justice system responses to stalking.

Sex Roles is an interdisciplinary journal that offers a feminist perspective to illuminate the underlying processes and consequences of gender role socialization, gendered perceptions and behaviors, and gender stereotypes.

Research Overview: Stalking victimization

Stalking victimization is the topic of the most recent Justice Center Research Overview.

"Stalking Victimization: Comparisons Between Alaska and U.S. Data" by Khristy Parker presents information on stalking victimization currently available for Alaska and notes contrasts and similarities with the U.S. national data on stalking, looking in particular at gender, age, race, and relationship between victims and offenders. Limitations on the comparability of Alaska and national data are noted.

See also the Justice Center website for related publications on stalking and victims of crime.

Dr. Rosay assists with strategic plan for Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been selected to assist the Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault in the development of a strategic plan for Alaska’s response to violence against women. As a member of the Council’s subcommittee, Dr. Rosay will work on the next 3-year plan for the STOP program – Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors –a nationwide federally funded program through the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). This 3-year plan for Alaska will focus on ways to provide training for law enforcement and the courts; develop policies; strengthen victim services programs; identify needs of Native victims; provide core services; and develop additional services for victims and their families.

State and nonprofit agencies providing services to victims of domestic violence can apply to the Council for grant funding to assist in meeting the goals of the 3-year plan. Under the provisions of STOP, the Council must allocate 25 percent of the grant funds for law enforcement, 25 percent for prosecution, 5 percent for courts, and 30 percent for victim services.

A final plan is scheduled to be submitted to the Council at their quarterly meeting in September.

Dr. Rosay awarded grant for statewide victimization survey

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, received a competitive grant from the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) to conduct a survey that will generate accurate and reliable statewide estimates for the lifetime and 12-month incidence and the prevalence of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Project investigators include Dr. Marny Rivera and Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty. Dr. Rosay joined UAA in 2002. With this most recent award, Dr. Rosay's total external competitive research funding to UAA now exceeds one million dollars.

New publication: Alaska Justice Forum Reprints

The Justice Center has launched a new series of publications, Alaska Justice Forum Reprints. Selected articles originally published in the Alaska Justice Forum will appear as single reprints.

There are currently four reprints available, all dealing with violence against women issues:

• "Case Attrition of Sexual Violence Offenses: Empirical Findings" by Darryl S. Wood and André B. Rosay
• "Sexual Assaults Reported to Alaska State Troopers" André B. Rosay, Greg Postle, Darryl S. Wood, and Katherine TePas
• "Stalking in Alaska" André B. Rosay, Greg Postle, Katherine TePas, and Darryl Wood
• "Assaults in Domestic Violence Incidents Reported to Alaska State Troopers" Marny Rivera, André B. Rosay, Darryl S. Wood, Greg Postle, and Katherine TePas

Additional reprints are in preparation, and will be available soon.