New Personal Protection Order iPhone App

ExpertClick News Release: New Personal Protection Order iPhone App Stops em in Their Tracks

IcePics  iPhone app works by pointing an iPhone at a suspicious person and pushing the IcePics button on the iPhone. IcePics will immediately email a picture of the perpetrator along with the GPS location pinpointed on a Google Map to contacts pre-selected by the owner. 

I can see how this could be valuable as an evidentiary tool, but the promoter of this app is making some pretty extreme claims ( see link above for full story):

"What IcePics Can Do

IcePics is a valuable anti-crime tool for anyone who finds themselves anywhere in a potentially threatening situation including:

• Children walking home from school

• Women jogging alone

• Anyone walking to a car in an unlighted parking lot

• Babysitters

• Children playing in a park

• Girl Scouts selling cookies

• Children going trick-or-treating Halloween night

• Elderly persons living alone

• Anyone opening a door to a stranger

• Anyone in a dispute or involved in a tense lawsuit

• College students living in a dorm

• Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse issues, especially those involving a restraining order

• A spouse worried about domestic violence, divorce or custody issues

• Anyone in line at a bank, fast food restaurant or convenience store who sees a crime being committed.

Imagine How The IcePics App Could Change Outcomes

...IF the young woman working in the college lab who was recently attacked had used IcePics her assailant would not have been able to attack her without knowing he'd more than likely be caught.

...IF the child that recently went missing in Florida, only to be found murdered in Georgia would have had IcePics, her attacker could have been stopped.

...IF the young woman that was recently separated from her friends at a Metallica concert had IcePics, she could have sent her attacker's photo to a remote email.

...IF Nicole Brown Simpson saw her assailant walking up her driveway, she would have caused her attacker to think twice as life in prison almost certainly would have been assured with evidence of his or her presence.

...IF the young girl walking home from school, only to be kidnapped and held for 18 years had IcePics, the outcome would have been much different and perhaps have stopped the person from even considering such an act.

Call Their Bluff

By just passing this information on to friends and telling them to hold their phone up and explain the IcePics technology to a threatening person it may make them think twice. Of course, having IcePics would be best, but the mere fact that it is available could save the life of someone you love, so share the concept with everyone, and it may be you that saves a life today — with or without even knowing it. www.icepics.com "




I am curious to know what others think of this. The most glaring problem is that the majority stalking victims I know find iPhone purchase and  plan charges cost prohibitive. It would be great if this could be utilized with any camera enabled cell phone

Gavin de Becker's MOSAIC Threat Assessment Tool Now Available Online

The Oprah Winfrey Show episode featuring Teri Jendusa Nicolai will air Thursday 04/15.

Jendusa Nicolai survived an attack on her life several years ago. In January 2004 her ex-husband beat her, stuffed her in a trash can, and drove her to Illinois, where he left her to die in a freezing storage unit. She was rescued shortly before she would have died, after Racine County Sheriff's Department investigators put together information that led local police to the storage unit where she had been left.

.Also featured will be Gavin de Becker, author of Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence
who has just onveiled the online version of his MOSAIC Threat Assessments, a valuable tool for advocates and victims alike.

From the website https://www.mosaicmethod.com/
"What is MOSAIC?

MOSAIC is a computer-assisted method for conducting comprehensive assessments - in the same way that diagnosis is a method used by a doctor. An effective medical diagnosis results when a doctor knows which questions to ask, knows which tests will produce the most accurate answers, and then knows how to draw relevant conclusions from all the answers combined together.

Similarly, assessing whether a situation has the combination of factors that are associated with escalated risk and danger requires that you know what questions to ask, and then know how to consider all your answers in a way that enhances insight. The MOSAIC method works by breaking a situation down factor-by-factor, like pieces of a puzzle, and then seeing what picture emerges when you put them together.

MOSAIC helps the assessor weigh the present situation in light of expert opinion and research, and instantly compare the present situation to past cases where the outcomes are known"

Advocate's Book Review: TIME'S UP by Susan Murphy-Milano

“Been there, done that…” Susan Murphy- Milano has turned a tired phrase into demonstrable realism through the gift of her newly published book, TIME'S UP: A GUIDE ON HOW TO LEAVE AND SURVIVE ABUSIVE AND STALKING RELATIONSHIPS. Susan’s writing is based on doing. It is based on the irrefutable credential of experience, both as a residual victim of interpersonal violence and a tireless advocate for others who suffer. This book is born from working in the trenches for twenty years and the necessity of crafting working solutions to help ensure individual safety from batters and stalkers.

TIMES UP is a comprehensive guide for women in danger. Every advocate owes it to those they work to assist to obtain this book.The contents provide specific steps towards safety and addresses issues that a person who is stressed and in fear may not think of. This guide can provide structure in the midst of chaos.

Among the tools and forms is the original idea of an “Abuse Affidavit”, a sworn statement detailing the facts of an individual’s victimization, preserving the specifics so they are not lost even if the victim is. It is difficult to think about speaking from the grave but no different than any life insurance policy obtained in consideration for those left behind.

An “Abuse Affidavit” has the additional psychological benefit of being forced face reality and admit that the potential for the ultimate kind of violence exists…and that if it occurs the perpetrator will be held accountable.

Purchase and read TIMES UP as an advocate to continue to learn and practice informed advocacy. Give TIMES UP to concerned friends or family members looking for solutions for a loved one who is in danger. Most of all, find a way to share this valuable guide with the domestic violence and stalking victims you know and work with. It has all the information and tools to empower a crime victim to save her own life.

Dedicated Advocate, Susan Murphy Milano, Authors a Guide for Domestic Violence/ Stallking Victims

PRESS RELEASE:

April 9, 2010--According to Susan Murphy-Milano, Susan Cox Powell, the missing Utah woman, Stacy Peterson, Lisa Stebic from Illinois who vanished from their home's without a trace is an example of women who could have benefited from her newly released book "Time's Up!".

With the proliferation of deaths due to domestic violence, something has to be done, something different, and something effective.   Susan Murphy-Milano, a 20 year veteran of family violence will be releasing her newest book, “Time’s Up” A  Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships, on April 12, 2010.
“Time’s Up” guides the victim towards safety by showing them the unseen pitfalls of leaving a violent relationship and how to navigate around them.  “Time’s Up” also has explicit details and instructions how to fill out an “Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit”, one of the unique things that Murphy-Milano has created and used through the years in high danger cases which has saved the lives of many.

Susan Murphy-Milano is a specialist in family violence and works nationally with domestic violence programs, law enforcement and prosecutors providing technical and consulting services in “high risk” domestic violence and stalking related cases.  Her principal objective is to intervene before a victim is seriously injured or killed. 
Important: Link to abuse document and video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9uGnrtwK3Q&feature=player_embedded
(If missing Mom Susan Powell from Utah, Renee Pernice, Kansas, Stacy Peterson, IL an others had created this abuse document the person responsible would be arrested)

Link overview to Susan’s work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaNhBfzXN5c

Author of “Defending Our Lives” Doubleday books and “Moving Out Moving On” when a relationship goes wrong, Susan is host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show and is also a contributor to “Time’s Up!” and “Women In Crime Ink” online.  With co-stars, Dennis Griffin and Vito Colucci, Susan will be participating in the new television show, “Crime Wire” which will examine cases in which the investigations have left questions unanswered and possible criminal activity unexposed.
ORDER NOW FROM AMAZON
ISBN #   9781608443604
Time's Up: How to Escape Abusive and Stalking Relationships Guide


For more information: www.susanmurphymilano.com or 312-675-2254

Contact: contact@imaginepublicity.com
843.808.0859

Stalking by Air

Pilot allegedly buzzed ex-girlfriend's house


Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 24, 2009
(09-24) 10:10 PDT CONCORD -- A private pilot suspected of repeatedly flying his small plane at low altitudes over a Concord neighborhood where his ex-girlfriend lives has been arrested on suspicion of stalking, police said today.

Tom Huey, 51, was arrested at Buchanan Field Airport in Concord about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after he landed, police said.

Huey, who lives in Concord, is being held at Contra Costa County Jail on suspicion of stalking and violating a domestic violence restraining order. His bail was set at $150,000.

"It appears that the motivation behind this situation is the result of a failed domestic relationship," said Concord police Capt. Jim Lardieri.

The arrest came hours after police served Huey with the restraining order Wednesday at Buchanan Field, Lardieri said.

Later that evening, residents of the Canterbury Village neighborhood in Concord near Treat Boulevard and Clayton Road reported that a plane had made eight passes at low altitude, authorities said. Huey's ex-girlfriend lives in the area, police said.

Police believe Huey has buzzed the neighborhood in his 1957 Beech numerous times since April 2008, after Huey and his girlfriend broke up.

Residents have repeatedly called police and airport officials to complain, authorities said. One resident believed that a rock that shattered a car's windshield was linked to one of the flights because the vandalism apparently coincided with a flyover.

"We are an airport, so we do get noise complaints. That's not uncommon," said Keith Freitas, director of Buchanan Field. "The unusual part of this is, usually it's a one-time fly-by kind of thing.

"What the neighbors have been telling us is (the plane has) been circling or hovering or orbiting over their homes," Freitas said. "So it's a compounded nuisance, to say the least."

Earlier this month, residents reported finding flyers in the neighborhood that referred to the woman and included a racial slur. Police believe the flyers may have been dropped from the plane, authorities said.



E-mail Henry K. Lee at hlee@sfchronicle.com.

Lawsuit Regarding Police Lack of Response to Protection Order Violations Settled

by Michael Hewlett
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: July 1, 2009
YADKINVILLE
A lawsuit that was being watched closely by advocates for victims of domestic violence was settled yesterday just as jury selection was set to begin.
Vernetta Cockerham settled for $430,000 in her lawsuit against the Jonesville Police Department and two of its officers.
Her lawsuit, which was filed in 2004, accused the police department of failing to enforce a restraining order that she had taken out against her estranged husband, Richard Ellerbee, who eventually killed her 17-year-old daughter, Candice, and stabbed Cockerham. Ellerbee killed himself several days later.
She said she is satisfied with the settlement and is ready to put the case behind her. "Every time I go to court, I relive it again," she said as she stood in a parking lot near the Yadkin County Courthouse.
"I'm going to take time out with my family and go through my grieving process," she said.
She said she also plans to continue to advocate for domestic-violence victims, especially those in Yadkin County.
Rita Anita Linger, the executive director of the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence, stood alongside Cockerham after the settlement was announced.
Linger said she hopes the case puts a magnifying glass on a system that is supposed to make sure that domestic-violence protective orders are enforced and that victims of domestic violence are protected against their abusers.
"This case speaks, and Vernetta speaks, for women who can't speak for themselves," she said.
Under the terms of the settlement, the town admits no liability in the death of Cockerham's daughter, said William Hill, an attorney for the two officers, Scott Vestal and Tim Gwyn. Roger Reece, the current police chief, declined to comment. He sent out a news release later in the day, saying that the officers did nothing wrong.
"We do hope Vernetta Cockerham finds peace with this resolution," the news release said.
Vestal, who still works for the police department, declined to comment. Gwyn resigned in 2006 as police chief. He was not available for comment.
On Nov. 13, 2002, Cockerham filed a domestic-violence protective order against Ellerbee. That order required that he not threaten her and her children and that he stay 250 feet away.
Ellerbee ignored that order. The next day, he broke into her house and left a note, Cockerham said in an affidavit filed with her lawsuit.
"I will kill you," the handwritten note said. "You will die."
Over the next several days, Ellerbee repeatedly violated the protective order, according to the lawsuit. He came to her youngest son's day care and threatened her daughter, Candice. He dug graves across the street and later told her that the graves were for her and her children. And on the day before he killed Candice, he stalked Cockerham in his car.
Each time, Cockerham said, she told police that Ellerbee was violating the protective order and at one point had an arrest warrant issued for him. She said in the lawsuit that then-police chief Robbie Coe said he would put the department on high alert and that Vestal and Gwyn promised her that they would arrest Ellerbee.
Ellerbee was never arrested, and on Nov. 19, he fatally stabbed Candice and then stabbed Cockerham in the foyer of her home after she came back from running an errand. Cockerham still has a scar along the left side of her neck where Ellerbee cut it with a broken piece of glass.
Hill said that Cockerham never told police that Ellerbee threatened her, and that Vestal and Gwyn never made any specific promises to her. He cited written statements by Cockerham and her daughter about the incident when Ellerbee went to the day care. Candice said in the statement, dated Nov. 18, 2002, that Ellerbee came to her and told her that he wanted Cockerham to contact him.
"I know in my heart of hearts that Scott Vestal and Tim Gwyn did nothing wrong," he said.
Hill placed much of the blame on Coe, who resigned abruptly in 2004. He said that Coe never told Vestal and Gwyn that he had met with Cockerham and he never investigated Cockerham's complaints. He also suggested that Cockerham's recollection of events may have been mistaken because of the trauma she suffered in the attack.
Cockerham said she was never mistaken about what she did. Coe said in depositions that he had talked with Cockerham several times and advised her to get an arrest warrant for Ellerbee.
Coe could not be reached for comment.
Harvey Kennedy, one of Cockerham's attorneys, said that Ellerbee violated the protective order numerous times.
"We hope the impact of this case will be to ensure in the future that law-enforcement officers will take domestic-violence protective orders seriously and enforce those orders," he said.
Story Published Here
■ Michael Hewlett can be reached at 727-7326 or at mhewlett@wsjournal.com.

Women's Rights Advocate Killed by Stalker

In following the tragic news about Johanna Justin-Jinich, a woman at Wesleyan University who was recently shot by a man who was stalking her, I see yet one more horrendous example of how stalking behavior is too often indicative of deadly potential . The man who allegedly killed her, Stephen Morgan, had been stalking her for quite some time. ( there were anti-semitic motivations as well.)

Johanna told the authorities two years ago that the suspect had repeatedly sent harassing e-mail messages and made menacing phone calls.

CBS News is one of the few conventional media outlets that covered the stalking aspect leading to this murder:

(CBS) The cold-blooded shooting of a 21-year-old Wesleyan University student in a campus bookstore Wednesday has focused new attention on what people being stalked can do to protect themselves. Police say Johanna Justin-Jinich was gunned down by Stephen P. Morgan, 29. His bond was raised to $15 million from $10 million Friday at his arraignment on first-degree murder chares. Morgan denies harming anyone at the school, despite what authorities say are entries in his journal, which they say was found at the crime scene. One reads, "I think it's OK to kill Jews and go on a killing spree." Another says, "Kill Johanna. She must die." Morgan met Justin-Jinich two years ago at New York University, where they both attended a six week summer course. On July 10, 2007, Justin-Jinich reported getting threatening phone calls and 38 harassing e-mails from Morgan, including one message that read, "You're going to have a lot more problems down the road." On July 17, Justin-Jinich filed a complaint with the university, but on July 24, the case was closed because she didn't want to press charges. But police say Morgan's obsession with and stalking of Justin-Jinich, via e-mails, text messages and phone calls, never stopped. On The Early Show Saturday Edition, Michele Archer, who herself was stalked and is now a director of Safe Horizon, an organization dedicated to helping stalking victims, said the key to dealing with a stalker is early intervention. "She was 21 years old. And ... 18- to 21-year-olds experience the highest rate of stalking," Archer told co-anchor Chris Wragge. "And there aren't a lot of resources geared toward their needs. I think early intervention is crucial. And I think some of those early e-mails that I've seen, at least in the (news)papers, have been very threatening. And I think the earlier we can intervene in these cases, we have maybe more outcomes that are positive." Was it a big mistake for Justin-Jinich to decide not to press charges against Morgan? "One of the things we always look at," Archer replied, "is, 'What did the victim do?' I think we need to focus the attention on, 'What did he do?' I think she made it known to law enforcement. If you look at some of these e-mails, I think they realized at that point they probably had a problem. He pursued her for two more years." Archer says one of the challenges is that, often, stalking cases aren't taken seriously enough. Another is that a lot of young victims may not be comfortable with going to the police and going forward with pressing charges." What can people do if they're being stalked? "You can get an order of protection," Archer pointed out. "That's one piece of it, though. You also need to work with somebody who can help you do safety planning -- simple tips you can do every day. And it's an ongoing process. It's not a one-shot deal. This case dragged on for two years. That's a long time to work with somebody." Archer said it's always better to err on the side of safety: "If anything's making you uncomfortable ... seek help. Go to their local service provider. If there's a victim advocate in their community, maybe in their district attorney's office, go to the police, talk to somebody, and start really looking at what's going on, documenting the behavior. ... It will help you if you have to go to the criminal justice system (to have) a log of every incident. That's also going to help with some of the safety planning, because it will give you an idea of what's going on with this offender." Archer also urges schools to do a better job informing students about the signs of stalking and what their options are to stay safe. "There's not enough awareness on this issue," she told CBS News. "Schools are good about talking to students about rape and sexual assault, but they need to tell them about the dangers with stalking. They need to have staff members who are trained to identify stalking behavior and deal with it. This kind of behavior is minimized all the time, and I think this is a real wake up call. We really need to create safety for students."

Of course the bloggers "get it":

http://www.feministing.com/archives/015360.html

Proposed changes in Michigan PPO Statute

note: I believe the author meant two "non consented" acts, rather than two "non contact" acts


From Monroenews.com:
by Ray Kisonas , last modified March 23. 2009 11:57AM
A Monroe County woman who had been raped was afraid she might be targeted again.To help ease some of her fears, she tried to obtain a restraining order against the suspect. But the judge told her there was a problem. According to Michigan law, the only way she could legally receive a personal protection order was if she had a second contact with the defendant."It's ridiculous," said Monroe County Circuit Judge Joseph A. Costello Jr. "They were stunned."Restraining orders - known as personal protection orders, or PPOs - are intended to assist victims who are being stalked or followed or worse. If an offender breaks the rules of a PPO, he is subject to immediate arrest.In domestic cases in Michigan, one incident is enough to obtain a PPO against a defendant. But in other cases, even sexual assault, two non-contact acts need to be committed before a judge can issue a restraining order."For a rape victim, it is horrible to have to have two contacts," said Melodie Brooks, director of the rape crisis center at Mercy Memorial Hospital. "A PPO is the first step to protection. That needs to be changed."State Rep. Kate Ebli, D-Monroe, is trying to do exactly that. She is sponsoring House Bill 4221 that, if passed, would allow victims of sexual assault to obtain a PPO against a suspect after one contact.According to the bill, there must be pending criminal prosecution against a defendant for a restraining order to be signed by a judge."This is something I've been working on for quite a while," Rep. Ebli said. "To require something similar to happen to a victim seems incredibly unfair."Rep. Ebli said Judge Costello made her aware of the quirk in the law and she decided to try to have it amended. The bill has been introduced and in May is expected to be discussed by the Judiciary Committee.Rep. Ebli said she has so far not had any opposition to the bill and hopes to see it become law soon."Not one group has objected to this at all," she said. "We have the support."Judge Costello explained that the original intent of the law was to make certain people were not abusing PPOs. Many times a restraining order was sought for trivial incidents so by requiring a second incident, it could show a pattern. However, victims of stranger or date rape were included in the provision, whereas only one incident was required in domestic situations.Rape victim advocates are supporting the new changes. Judge Costello said a PPO will not force an unreasonable person intent on harming a victim to stay away. But a restraining order can offer some relief for victims."It's not bullet-proof," Judge Costello said. "But it is one more option for police."

Stalkers turn to cell phones to 'textually harass'

Malicious use of telecommunications devices to threaten and intimidate has become a pervasive problem, particularly among young people. In our local jurisdiction in Michigan we have successfully charged some of the more egregious patterns such ongoing threats to kill or harm family members, etc...credible threats ...with stalking and in one case, aggravated stalking.


From the A.P.:

By CAROLYN THOMPSON

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The college student had endured months of online and cell phone harassment from her ex-boyfriend. She ignored the barrage of e-mails, changed her phone number and dismantled online profiles to cut him off.

Then one evening, her cell phone signaled a new text message. It was him again.

"You should keep to yourself and stay away from other people," the message said, according to the student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she feared for her safety. Her ex had found her photo online and attached it.

As text messaging has boomed in recent years, it has also given rise to so-called "textual harassment." Text messages antagonize recipients in a way that is not easily ignored: Most people are never far from their cell phones, and the gadgets tend to blink and chirp until unopened messages are acknowledged. Adding another sting, the victims are often charged by their cell phone companies for receiving the messages.

A study of stalking by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics released last month confirmed that stalking by texting has become a pervasive problem.

The report found 23 percent of stalking or harassment victims reported in 2006 that the stalker had used some form of cyberstalking, such as cell phone texting or e-mail, to harass them. It was the agency's first measure of the emerging practice, said Katrina Baum, one of the study's authors.

"Technology has become a quick and easy way for stalkers to monitor and harass their victims," the report said.

And unless calling plans include unlimited texting, recipients are charged an average of 20 cents for each message sent or received, wanted or not.

"I was paying to be harassed, which is a lot of fun," the victimized college student said.

Providers including Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint say they are willing to work with customers who are charged for unwanted messages.

Verizon Wireless handled 90 billion text messages in the last quarter of 2008 alone, more than double the number during the same period a year earlier. AT&T customers sent nearly 80 billion texts in the quarter. Sprint customers sent 41 billion in the 3rd quarter of 2008.

Having a device deliver a message tends to embolden people and provides a sense of anonymity, even when the messages can be tracked to a sender, said Jayne Hitchcock, president of the volunteer organization WHOA, Working to Halt Online Abuse.

"They would never do this to someone in person," Hitchcock said, "yet they use the faceless avenue of cell phones, their computers or home/office phones to perpetrate the harassment."

States have scrambled to react to the new threat. Forty-six states now have anti-stalking laws that refer to electronic forms of communication, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Only four states — Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington — explicitly name text messaging, but laws that are less specific may also be applied to text harassment.

Last year in New York's Kings County Court, a defendant was accused of sending six threatening text messages to a woman during a 17-hour period. The messages said the defendant was outside the woman's house and that she would end up in the hospital.

The defendant tried to get aggravated harassment charges thrown out by arguing that text messages were not as serious as phone calls or letters and were not covered by state law, but the court disagreed.

Technological developments "along with their many benefits, bring with them ever greater potential for abuse," the court wrote.

The college student said she walked the rest of the way home that first night her ex texted her with the uncomfortable feeling he might be crouched in the bushes, even though she knew he lived several states away.

The texts and e-mails kept coming for more than a year and ranged from innocuous appeals for contact to disturbing insinuations of violence. The contact stopped in December, when the man messaged her that he had found someone else.

Customers who do feel threatened are advised to call law enforcers, who can then contact the provider to identify the sender.

A Web site sponsored by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, Ad Council and Office of Violence Against Women offers a textual harassment forum where teenagers trade advice and experiences with overzealous or unwanted texting.

The site, http://www.thatsnotcool.com, also has e-mailable reply "callout cards" that offer a lighter approach to resolve what could be a serious problem, with messages including "You're much more attractive when you're not textually harassing me," and "Thanks for helping me exceed my text message limit."

On the Net:

• State laws: http://tinyurl.com/yh8xuc
• Working to Halt Online Abuse: http://www.haltabuse.org/

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Anonymous Caller? New Service Says, Not Any More

Advocates need to make survivors aware of the potential problems if this is used by their abuser. Prepaid cell phones are the most secure if a caller does not wish to be found. On the other hand, this could be a valuable tool for stalking victims who need to validate harrassment for court purposes.

By Kevin Poulsen February 16, 2009
A new service set for launch Tuesday allows cellphone users to unmask theCaller ID on blocked incoming calls, obtaining the phone number, and insome cases the name and address, of the no-longer-anonymous caller. The service, called <http://www.trapcall.com/> TrapCall, is offered by NewJersey's TelTech systems, the company behind the controversial SpoofCardCaller ID spoofing service. The new service is likely to be even morecontroversial - and popular. "What's really interesting is that they've totally taken the privacy out ofCaller ID," says former hacker Kevin Mitnick, who alpha-tested the service. TrapCall's basic unmasking service is free, and includes the option ofblacklisting unwanted callers by phone number. It also allows you to listento your voicemail over the web. It's currently available to AT&T andT-Mobile subscribers, with support for the other major carriers due withinweeks, says TelTech president Meir Cohen. <http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/02/13/logobeta.gif>Logobeta"It' s not meant for spies, it's not meant for geeks, it's not meantfor any specific target audience," Cohen says. "Everybody hates gettingblocked calls, and in this day and age they want to know who's calling, andthey want the option of taking the call or not." Consumers have had the option of shielding their number from display sinceCaller ID was introduced in the early 1990s, either by dialing *-6-7 beforeplacing a call, or asking their carrier for blanket anonymity for theirline. But TrapCall takes advantage of a loophole in Caller ID blockingthat's long benefited corporate phone customers: Namely, calls to toll-freenumbers are not blocked, because those calls are paid for by the recipient. TrapCall instructs new customers to reprogram their cellphones to send allrejected, missed and unanswered calls to TrapCall's own toll-free number. Ifthe user sees an incoming call with Caller ID blocked, he just presses thebutton on the phone that would normally send it to voicemail. The callinvisibly loops through TelTech's system, then back to the user's phone,this time with the caller's number displayed as the Caller ID. The caller hears only ringing during this rerouting, which took about sixseconds in Wired.com's test with an iPhone on AT&T. Rejecting the call asecond time, or failing to answer it, sends it to the user's standardvoicemail. <http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/02/13/step1.gif> Step1Theservice comes as bad news to advocates for domestic violence victims, whofought hard to make free blocking an option in the early days of Caller ID."I have huge concerns about that," says Cindy Southworth, director oftechnology at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, in Washington,D.C. Southworth fears that abusers will use the new service to locatepartners fleeing a violent relationship. In a notable case in 1995, a Texas man named Kevin Roberson shot hisex-girlfriend to death after locating her through the Caller ID device onher roommate's phone line. The problem is serious, because domestic violence victims who've fled anabusive relationship often have to stay in contact with their abuser byphone, particularly in situations where the former couple share custody oftheir children," Southworth says. "The judge will require that the victim contact the offender to discusswhere they're dropping the children off, for example," says Southworth. "Andthere's often court-mandated phone contact between the abusive partner andthe victim." In those cases the victims often rely on Caller ID blocking tokeep their former partner from knowing where they're living. Cohen dismisses that concern, arguing that Caller ID blocking was neversecure to begin with. "It's very simple for somebody to forward a phone toan 800 number in their office, and right there, they're picking up the phonenumber of the person who is calling," he says. At least now the falseillusion of Caller ID privacy will be dispelled by TrapCall, he adds. <http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/02/13/step3.gif> Step3Inaddition to the free service, branded Fly Trap, a $10-per-month upgradecalled Mouse Trap provides human-created transcripts of voicemail messages,and in some cases uses text messaging to send you the name of the caller -information not normally available to wireless customers. Mouse Trap willalso send you text messages with the numbers of people who call while yourphone was powered off, even if they don't leave a message. With the $25-a-month Bear Trap upgrade, you can also automatically recordyour incoming calls, and get text messages with the billing name and streetaddress of some of your callers, which TelTech says is derived fromcommercial databases. TelTech is no stranger to controversy. Its <http://www.spoofcard.com/>Spoofcard product lets customers send any phone number they want as theirCaller ID. Among other things, the<http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/03/70462> spoofingservice has been used by thieves to activate stolen credit cards, by hackersto access celebrities' voicemail boxes, and by telephone hoaxsters to stagea dangerous prank called<http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/01/guilty-plea-bli.html> "swatting,"in which they spoof an enemy's phone number while calling the police with afake hostage situation. The goal of swatting - realized in hundreds of casesaround the country - is to send armed cops bursting into the victim's home. Cohen's company has cooperated in law enforcement investigations ofSpoofcard abuse, which have led to several prosecutions and convictions.Despite the spoofing-linked crimes, he insists that most Spoofcard users arejust privacy-conscious consumers, including celebrities, governmentofficials, private investigators and even spousal abuse victims andshelters. He also expects his new business will be good for his old one. "The only way to block your number after this is released is to useSpoofcard," he says with a laugh.

Carrying Pepper Spray in Michigan

Personal defense sprays can be an effective deterrent if the owner is under attack and has been educated in their use. I am often asked by both victims and advocates what is allowed for their personal safety. Michigan law does not allow the use of actual pepper spray but does allow canisters of the tear gas known as CS. The canisters cannot contain more than 35 grams per can, no stronger than 2% concentrate of the active ingredient Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) . No combinations.
The 2% concentration mainly indicates how long the spray's effects last.

No one under 18 is permitted to buy any type of defense spray. People who are of age in MI may purchase canisters of the approved tear gas and carry them in public, but they must only be used to defend the owner or others against an attack. Circumstances in which the use of tear gas would be lawful include fending off an assailant, protecting personal property from a thief and warding off a wild animal.

Always test your spray outside with the wind to your back. It is advisable not to leave your canister in extreme environment such as a hot car or in the vehicle during the winter. Read the directions that come with your spray to ensure proper and safe use.

Personal Protection Orders

Michigan law has built in protection for victims in the form of personal protection orders or PPO’s. There are two types of PPO’s:

Domestic PPO: You may request a domestic PPO if the person you want protection from is:

• Your spouse or former spouse
• Someone with whom you have a child in common
• Someone you are dating or have dated in the past
• Someone you live with now or have lived in the same household with you in the past

You must show the court that this person is interfering with your personal freedom or has threatened or committed violence against you

Stalking PPO: You may request a stalking PPO to protect you from anyone else who has committed two or more acts without your consent that make you feel threatened, harassed, frightened or molested.

You may not get either type of PPO against your minor child.

A minor child cannot get a PPO against a parent.

Anyone who knowingly and intentionally makes a false statement to the court in support of a petition for a PPO is subject to the contempt powers of the court

How To Obtain A PPO

Personal protection orders are appropriate only for protection in domestic violence and/or stalking situations. There must be at least two harassing acts to fall under the stalking category not one isolated incident.

A PPO may be applied for by submitting the appropriate forms to the County Clerk’s office requesting the court to order the protection desired. This can be done by the person needing protection with or without the assistance of an advocate or an attorney.

Further instructions and downloadable forms are available at:

courts.mi.gov/scao/selfhelp/protection/ppo_help.htm

Asking the court to enter a personal protection order is avery serious matter. A PPO will authorize the courts and law enforcement throughout Michigan and the United States to enforce it’s provisions. The court will expect both you and the party to be restrained to abide by the by the terms of the order.

You are acting as your own attorney when you apply for a protection order.

Dispute Types Not Appropriate For A PPO

Landlord/Tenant - Neighborhood - Noise/Nuisance

Ordinance Violation - Trespassing - Professional/Client

Consumer/Merchant - Breach of Contract - Employment

New York Times: Though Many are Stalked, Few Report

February 15, 2009

By ELIZABETH OLSON

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/us/15stalk.html?_r=1
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/us/15stalk.html?_r=1&hp> &hp

When Vernon E. Miller was sentenced for stalking last November, cellphone
records showed that he had made 3,788 calls to his former girlfriend in a
single month. (read entire article by clicking link above)