Some recent news out of San Francisco: Fourteen year old Rashawn Williams was fatally stabbed by a former classmate following online threats and harassment. The victim had apparently been bullied online, which included threats of violent action. I wonder, though, had the victim or his family reported the harassment to SFPD, would it have saved his life? Probably not. Unfortunately, online bullying, harassment and threats are not taken seriously by law enforcement. There is this antiquated belief that if a threat is not made in person, then it's not a threat; if it's on the internet, it isn't serious.
Harassment: repetitive behavior intended to disturb or upset. In legalese: intentional behavior which is found threatening or disturbing. Should it matter what method the harasser uses? What law enforcement fails to understand is that harassment is not just physical altercation. Harassment is harassment whether it is spoken aloud or typed online.
Since December 2012, I have been constantly harassed by one individual: Gianelli. Gia seems to think that women who survive rape are some how at fault for their attack, and if the rapist is 17, the rape victim is apparently a pedophile. I am a rape survivor. Apparently, in Gia's distorted point of view, it was my fault that a psychopath broke into my apartment 7 years ago. It was my fault that he physically assaulted me. It was my fault that he forcibly penetrated me because an overzealous district attorney out of Orange County, widely known as the most conservative and racist county in California, said it was my fault solely because I am an educator, and the rapist was 59 days shy of his 18th birthday even though he stood 6'2" weighing over 200lbs.
What I learned just a few months ago was that there wasn't a shred of evidence to substantiate that claim, and a new judge reviewed and dismissed the case against me. When I made the announcement that I have been cleared of any wrong doing, Gia contacted me to continue her hateful diatribe. Here is the irony of the situation. What she fails to understand is that stalking and harassing someone is a registrable sex offense in the state of California. Imagine that; Gia, who has yet to be brought to justice for her stalking and harassment, both online and off, can be classified as a sex offender.
What I learned just a few months ago was that there wasn't a shred of evidence to substantiate that claim, and a new judge reviewed and dismissed the case against me. When I made the announcement that I have been cleared of any wrong doing, Gia contacted me to continue her hateful diatribe. Here is the irony of the situation. What she fails to understand is that stalking and harassing someone is a registrable sex offense in the state of California. Imagine that; Gia, who has yet to be brought to justice for her stalking and harassment, both online and off, can be classified as a sex offender.
Exhibit A
It was just a shopping and movie outing with a friend. We perused several shops that evening where I made a few purchases. Five days later, I received Gia's first harassing email. The disturbing part was that Gia used my personal information provided to this business to search and subsequently harass me. I made a complaint to her employer.
Exhibit B
The next several weeks led to her making third party contact with ludicrous accusations. Then she filed a civil harassment suit. Wait a minute? I'M being served with a civil suit? Because I was well within my rights to contact her employer for employee misconduct? The judge denied her claim and her suit. But the harassment didn't stop there.
Exhibit C
She had made online slanderous statements about my character. I reported it to SFPD on the charge of slander. "Nothing they can do about it," they said; unless she physically did something. Fine. Say what you want. Just leave me alone. But that wasn't enough for Gia.
Exhibit D
A few days later, my Facebook account was deleted. (Meh. No big loss.)
Exhibit E
Two weeks later, I found slanderous flyers on my car as well as my neighbors' cars and front porches. She actually came to my neighborhood; a consequence of her failed suit against me was her knowing my home address. I was informed that her behavior constitutes unlawful stalking and a hate crime. I reported her to police again. I hadn't heard anything since.
Exhibit F
Several "unknown" calls during spring 2013. My friends characterized her as a bully and offered support should anything happen.
Exhibit G
Gia went back to making several third party contacts until she abruptly stopped. Perhaps because, according to this contact, she told Gia that any future calls would be considered harassment; it was apparent that she was trying to sabotage my progress and well being. She even went on to say that, clearly, Gia is deranged. I informed this person that I do have this feeling that one day, Gia will probably harm me. But I can't let it bother me. I will continue to do what makes me happy. "Well," she said, "you can take comfort in knowing that if anything did happen to you, she will be prime suspect number one."
Exhibit H
It was months of relative peace until this past May 2014 when I wrote a post about my PTSD triggers. Funny that I started receiving anonymous calls. One afternoon I answered, and the caller promptly hung up. I have NEVER had that happen to me. Not once. I've received unwanted calls before but all of them had a voice on the other line. To hang up on someone the instant they answer is pure cowardice.
Exhibit I
A mysterious follow on my Instagram. I'm very cautious of who adds me especially when I don't know them. I briefly scrolled through his follow list and didn't find a single green icon indicating followers in common. So I scrolled his pictures. And who is it that I should see hanging on to his arm...Gia. BLOCK! Pretty pathetic to send her minions to stalk me on her behalf.
Exhibit J
And here is the proverbial icing on the cake. Several weeks ago, she actually had the guts (well she definitely has plenty of that) to contact me again directly making false statements and slanderous accusations. When will she stop?
That is quite a bit of documented evidence. Yet, by SFPD standards, it isn't enough to follow through on charges of online harassment, stalking and a hate crime. As horrible as the Rashawn Williams situation is, perhaps some good can come out of this. Will this be a wake-up call to law enforcement to take bullying and online threats and harassment seriously? It's unfortunate that it has to take the loss of life to get the ball rolling. This generation of adolescents and twenty-somethings is far more relentless with its behavior. Online activity has made it easier for them to torment others; so easy that authorities just look the other way.