Voices
in
Japan

have your say

What is the most effective legal way to deal with stalkers?

18 Comments

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

18 Comments
Login to comment

Law Enforcement.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

I have been stalked overseas and I can tell you that creating distance is the most step to take either by moving yourself, bringing in the authorities or getting the person locked up. If the harasser will not leave and a court order is not respected you should leave period. If that's not possible, protection is your number one priority. But remember leaving home and going to work are the two most vulnerable point so be very careful.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

What is the most effective legal way to deal with stalkers?

arrest them

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Cops or authorities cannot come to rescue everytime when there is stalking.

So the matter should be handled by people around even before cops come into the scene. The general public take care of the stalker better than the cops usually. This also makes the victim feel a lot more safe. I think this approach works wonders in several cases like stalking, pick pocketing etc.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I had a great answer all ready to go but you've gone and put the word 'legal' in the question so that's that... Legally, obtain a court order and if it is not respected, obtain proof. Cameras around the house, go-pros handy around and your cell phone saving videos to the cloud is best. Keep track of dates and whatever you do, keep away from the creeps.Good luck if this is happening to you.

Also, vary your travels to and from work and change the time of the day when you leave and come back home. There is nothing better for the stalker than a victim's schedule that never changes. They always KNOW where you are any time of day or night.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"What is the most effective legal way to deal with stalkers?" Wish society was more concerned with the rights of those who are stalked than those who stalking and therefore breaking the law. In response to the question you cannot legally stop a stalker because it is almost impossible to legally prove to a law enforcement officer that the stalker is doing anything that warrants intervention. This site has hosted many stories of women who complained about harrassement from former boyfriends, etc. who wouldn't accept "no" and the police didn't do anything until the woman was stabbed or killed. The stalkers know that they can get away with stalking and so they do stalk.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This site has hosted many stories of women who complained about harrassement from former boyfriends, etc. who wouldn't accept "no" and the police didn't do anything until the woman was stabbed or killed.

Please don't leave out all the stories where the police were successful at stopping the stalkers before they did anything wrong. It's only fair to provide a balanced example.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I had a great answer all ready to go but you've gone and put the word 'legal' in the question

That's okay . . . because if you legally obtain a CCW & shoot ur stalker, you're good to go. In fact, if you open carried, the stalker would ditch you asap, as a target.

Depends on the DA, Judge and totality of circumstances. If you snuffed-out a stalker, it may be ruled as 'justifiable homicide" etc. . NOT murder.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

If you're in Texas, shoot 'em. Otherwise, try to get out of their view because police around the world, sadly, are handcuffed by human rights laws and can't do what they should. But, as another commenter has said, the word 'legal' in the question makes it a stupid one.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Strangerland. I'll have to take your word for it---and you're probably right---but I have never seen nor heard a story that in essence says "Cops arrest stalker before violent act." Again, it may happen but I would bet the number pales in comparison to young ladies like the idol who was stabbed numerous times a few days ago. My point is not to bash the cops---they do a good job in most cases and are often hamstrung in others---but to highlight the abundance of rights the stalker has while the woman is often left fending for herself. Men need to get it through their heads that "no means no" and after a man has been told no that the woman has the right to use whatever means necessary to protect herself.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I was going to reply to Strangerland and ask whether there are any such proven stories, but samwatters beat me to it.

It is an irrelevance either way. If people are regularly being murdered by people using similar tactics, and with the same mistakes being made, how is it useful to say "Yes, but what about all the people who haven't been murdered?"

This is yet another example of police not taking the necessary steps to prevent a crime.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I have never seen nor heard a story that in essence says "Cops arrest stalker before violent act."

Of course not - think through the logic on that, if the cops arrested the person, there would be no violent act, therefore they could not report that it happened before a violent act.

But, ignoring that logic failure there, the fact is that stories of the police being successful in stopping stalkers does not make for sensational news, and therefore is not reported. Imagine the headline 'Police talk to stalker, stalker stops'. There is nothing to be read. The news only reports when things go wrong, it rarely reports when things go right.

Again, it may happen but I would bet the number pales in comparison to young ladies like the idol who was stabbed numerous times a few days ago.

Why would you bet that? What are you basing this on? Have you actually done any kind of research whatsoever to see how effective the anti-stalking laws are (or are not) in this country? Or are you just betting this because it sounds better and allows for more criticism of Japan?

My point is not to bash the cops

It sure sounds like you are bashing the cops:

the police didn't do anything until the woman was stabbed or killed.

You completely ignored that the police often do do something before the woman is stabbed or killed, in favor of criticizing them for the times that they screw up, or their actions are unsuccessful.

---they do a good job in most cases and are often hamstrung in others---but to highlight the abundance of rights the stalker has while the woman is often left fending for herself.

People have rights, no matter how much you don't like that. Until someone has committed a crime, they are innocent. Once they cross a line, the police can act, and that's what the anti-stalking laws are in place for.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

in the end, the anti-stalking laws will not protect you, the police will not protect you, they may be a deterrent but if you are actually being attacked, the only one that can protect you is you.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Wow, people are on a roll down voting on this particular topic.

I don't see a very good legal way to deal with stalkers. Even if the police act, with current laws they would be only be able to keep them detained for a short period of time, and then they're out and angry and more dangerous. What should happen is they should be placed in a mental institution and receive counseling until they are legitimately deemed a non-threat.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Most of you are not giving concrete advice here. The valid point is that (in Japan) the police are limited in action before a violent act,so the only answer is to remove oneself from the vicinity of the stalker.Either that or incapacitate the stalker which legally, especially for foreigners here is not an option.....

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@kurisupu. Removing yourself from a stalker is hard when the stalker follows you one way or another. I think the point many of us are making is that there really isn't a LEGAL way to deal with stalkers until you are attacked.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Just give in

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites