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Abstract: 

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) crimes can be difficult to prosecute, but their sheer prevalence and the damage that they cause to victims demonstrate why achieving justice is critical. Effective prosecution is a challenge that requires making use of all available strategies in order to hold offenders accountable. One strategy is to charge stalking alongside IPV offenses when stalking behaviors are present. Stalking is often not identified and named as such by law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates, and even victims themselves. By examining IPV and IPSV cases for stalking, prosecutors, law enforcement, and allied professionals can provide more targeted services and support for victims and are better able to hold offenders accountable for the full scope of their crimes. This article discusses how crimes of IPV, IPSV, and stalking intersect; the challenges faced by prosecutors and law enforcement in holding offenders accountable; and how criminal justice professionals can enhance their ability to investigate, charge, and prosecute intimate partner stalking cases.

Keywords: Charging and Prosecuting Stalking; Stalking, Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence

Affiliations:  1: AEquitas; 2: AEquitas; 3: AEquitas; 4: Garn & Graber, LLC; 5: Georgetown University Law Center .