Stalking - it's not harmless

Yesterday's murder-suicide of Alissa Blanton at the hands of her stalker at the AT&T Call Center in Orlando is a grim reminder of how deadly someone's obsession can become.

It's also a wake-up call to employers about how necessary it is for them to have protocols in place for employees who are being victimized in this manner.

It is crucial that victims notify their neighbors, employers, childrens' schools, and any other places they frequent (their place of worship, their gym, etc) of their situation. If more people know about the perpetrator - recognize him/her and their vehicle - and are willing to call law enforcement, the chances are better that the criminal justice system will be able to intervene.

Stalking victims usually know their perpetrator.  Whether they were ever romantically involved with their victim or not should not minimize the perpetrator's behavior in how we treat the case.

Stalking is not harmless.

For more information about stalking, visit the National Stalking Awareness Month website.   

To view WKMG's coverage of the story, click here.

For other stalking cases we've blogged about, click here.