When we talk about intimate partner violence, it’s important to understand that various other illegal activities often accompany such abuse. Below are some of those illegal activities and their consequences, specifically within the context of intimate partner violence.
1) Witness Tampering and Victim Tampering
Witness tampering and victim tampering are serious offenses that obstruct the justice system’s ability to protect and serve victims of domestic violence.
Witness Tampering
Definition – Any attempt to interfere with a witness’s ability to provide truthful testimony.
Examples – Intimidation tactics including threatening harm, offering bribes, or using coercion to prevent a witness from testifying.
Legal consequences – Witness tampering is a federal crime in the United States, punishable by imprisonment, fines, or both.
Victim Tampering
Definition – Similar to witness tampering, but specifically targets the victim of a crime.
Examples – Harassing the victim, using threats or violence to dissuade them from pursuing charges, or manipulating them emotionally or psychologically.
Legal consequences – Victim tampering is illegal and can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
Both forms of tampering undermine the legal process and can prolong the suffering of victims by denying them justice and protection. If you are a victim or witness in an ongoing criminal case and are experiencing victim or witness tampering, please contact the prosecuting attorney on your case to report this activity.
2) Stalking with AirTags
Stalking involves repeated, unwanted attention and contact that causes fear or concern for one’s safety. With advancements in technology, stalking has evolved, with abusers now using devices like Apple’s AirTags to track and harass their victims.
Definition – Using AirTags or similar tracking devices to monitor a person’s movements without their consent.
Examples – Placing an AirTag in a victim’s car or personal belongings to track their location.
Legal consequences – Stalking is illegal in all 50 states, and using a tracking device without consent is a severe invasion of privacy. Offenders can face restraining orders, criminal charges, and significant penalties.
Stalking in any form, with or without the aid of tracking devices, always qualifies as abuse.
3) Marital Rape
Marital rape is a grave but often underreported form of domestic violence where one spouse forces non-consensual sexual intercourse upon the other. Historically, some legal systems did not recognize marital rape as a crime, perpetuating the myth that marriage implies perpetual consent.
Definition – Non-consensual sex between spouses.
Examples – Any sexual act forced upon a spouse without their consent.
Legal consequences – Marital rape is illegal in many countries, including the United States. Penalties can include imprisonment, fines, and mandatory counseling or treatment programs.
Recognizing marital rape as a crime is essential in protecting victims’ bodily autonomy and ensuring that all forms of sexual violence are addressed within the legal system.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the illegal actions that perpetrators of intimate partner violence use but it’s a good place to start when it comes to understanding that intimate partner violence is multi-faceted and never simple. If you are a victim of a crime related to domestic or sexual violence and have questions or need support reporting this crime, please give us a call. Our advocates can confidentially explain all of your options, and if you choose, can assist you in accessing criminal justice resources, such as law enforcement and prosecution services.
About GCFJC
The Greene County Family Justice Center is a non-profit collaborative of local agencies offering comprehensive services to survivors of domestic, sexual, and family violence. Our services are trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and we welcome survivors at any point in their process. We partner with local non-profit service providers as well as local law enforcement, the Prosecutor’s office, and Children’s Division to make victim services more accessible and completely voluntary. If you do not want to participate in the criminal justice process, we support you.
Our vision is a future where we all work together to meet the needs of domestic violence and human trafficking survivors through comprehensive and accessible services, education, and perpetrator accountability. Through a coordinated framework and co-located response, we strive to break the vicious generational cycle and community impact of domestic violence and resulting victimizations.
We can help you plan for your safety whether you plan to stay in the relationship, or you are actively trying to escape. All our services are free, confidential and survivor centered. Have questions about what services are available? Visit us at 1418 E. Pythian Street or give us a call at 417-874-2600. We are open 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. For after-hours assistance, call the Harmony House/Victim Center’s 24-hour safe line at 417-864-SAFE (7233). If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.