Posted on 04/10/2007 10:25:10 PM PDT by neverdem
What do you do when the police can’t protect you?
Police may be the single most important factor for reducing crime, but there is something the police themselves understand: They almost always arrive at the crime scene after the crime has occurred.
Expecting people to trust the police to protect them and to behave passively is a recipe for disaster.
The last couple of weeks have seen a couple prominent murders where restraining orders did women little good. Numerous news organizations, such as ABC News, have run headlines asking "How Do You Stop a Stalker From Killing You?"
Unfortunately, despite acknowledging that "many women find themselves on their own," the media are drawing the wrong lessons. To simply advise that women "Get the hell away from him" often doesn't go anywhere near far enough.
With her tragic murder last Monday on the campus of the University of Washington, Rebecca Griego learned this the hard way. Twice she had filed for restraining orders against her abusive and physically violent former boyfriend, Jonathan Ghulam-Nabi Rowan, but the police didn’t know where he lived and could never serve him.
It wasn’t like they didn’t try, for in January they couldn’t even locate Rowan for an outstanding warrant for a drunk driving conviction.
Rowan made Rebecca’s life hell. In police reports as well as her request for a restraining order, she described Rowan as a "suicidal alcoholic” who had “punched,” “slammed” and “thrown” her to the ground.
To no avail, she moved a couple of times and changed her cell phone number. Nevertheless, on March 7 and 14, Rowan called her at work, threatening both her and her dog. He then called and threatened Rebecca’s older sister.
But restraining orders often aren't worth the paper on which they're written, even when they are served...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The addressee, Mr. John Q. Public, is hereby put on notice that in the event he is killed in the abode of Mrs. Jane R. Public or the grounds immediately surrounding same, the police will be strongly inclined to regard his death as lawful self-defense.That would do far more to protect women than the present "restraining order" system.
That would do far more to protect women than the present "restraining order" system.
I usually like John Lott, but his OpEd and your comment assume that the female is always the victim in domestic violence. While it may be true most of the time, IIRC, males are the victim about 40 % of the time. There are bad guys and bad gals.
Fair enough, but I'm sure most victims of violence don't have a last name of "Public" either. The key point is that the best way for the system to "protect" people is to let them protect themselves.
BTTT!
A gun is just half of the equation. Learning situational awareness is important too. I’m always telling my wife and female friends to look around constantly. Be aware if you are being followed or bracketed. These guys who victimize women do not always take the time to line themselves up to be shot, sometimes the first time the women are aware of them is when they are being hit from behind.
(not a /Sarc tag, and I don't care how many lemmings flame me)
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