Stalking Cases Spike At MDC—Reported Cases Doubled From Previous Year

Stalking cases at Miami Dade College more than doubled between 2018 and 2019, according to the school’s 2020 Annual Security Report.

The number of incidents reported spiked from 10 to 21 cases between the two years—an increase of 110 percent. By comparison, the 21 cases in 2019 were two more than the number of complaints in 2017 and 2018 combined.

In the annual security report, stalking is defined as a course of conduct that would make a reasonable person “fear for his or her safety or the safety of others, [or] suffer substantial emotional distress.” It was often done in combination with other crimes such as sexual harassment and battery

The reports, which lag a year behind, include 40 stalking incidents between 2017 and 2019. All of the accused offenders were men and 38 of the complainants were women.

Kendall Campus had the most cases reported with 16 incidents filed—four in 2017, two in 2018, and ten in 2019. North and Hialeah campuses each had 10 incidents during that time frame. Wolfson, Medical, West and Homestead campuses reported one case each.

“It’s important as women in today’s society to always be aware of our surroundings and to always recognize what’s going on in your college campus,” said Carolina López-Varela, who serves as vice president of the Kendall Campus Student Government Association. “It’s always important to know about your community resources [and] to not be afraid to ask for help.”

Most of the reported incidents involved students and employees being followed around campus, sometimes having pictures and videos of them taken as they walked to class. 

Stalking on social media was also common. In 2019, someone threatened to release the “inappropriate pictures” of a Kendall Campus student. The offender continued to harass her even after she blocked him and changed her social media username.

Two reports were filed by students at the School for Advanced Studies—a dual enrollment program at MDC for high school students. 

Some cases involved the police. In one such incident, a Kendall Campus student said she switched jobs to avoid a coworker—he was also an MDC student—who had stalked her for seven months. A few days after she switched jobs, the stalker tried to get hired at her new workplace, according to the report. 

A Hialeah Campus student said she was stalked for two years by her ex-boyfriend, who sometimes arrived unexpectedly at her bedroom window. At some point, the ex-boyfriend “was Baker Acted over an incident in which he mutilated a cat.”

Another Kendall Campus student said a stalker called her thirty times a day from a blocked number and walked around saying he “engraved his penis with her name.” Another student from the same campus received death threats and was told “she should commit suicide and slit her wrists.”

“I am at the point where I no longer feel safe walking to my car after class at night,” read a report from a North Campus student who reported being harassed by a married man.

Multiple reasons could explain the increase of reported stalking cases at MDC. Director of Interpersonal Violence Prevention Reisha Williams said it’s possible students simply feel more comfortable reporting the cases than in previous years. 

“It could have been happening on an ongoing basis and now people just know where to go for help,” Williams said. “And I know that our public safety officers have been doing a lot of engagement to try to [make] themselves more personable to students.”

In 2018, the College received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to create the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention. It seeks to reduce cases of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking at MDC by making sure the community knows what these crimes are and where to find the resources that can keep them safe.

“There’s also been almost this national push to bring stalking to the forefront,” Williams said. “A lot of people have been watching that show You on Netflix—an example of how we’re seeing stalking attributed and exhibited in the media.”

Individuals can report stalking cases by calling or visiting their campus’ Public Safety Department. They can also file an anonymous report through the MDC website.

Once the incident is reported, public safety officers can approach offenders and escort complainants around campus. In addition, students and employees can switch their class or work schedules to avoid further contact with stalkers.

If the complainant wants to file a police report, the College can connect them with the Miami-Dade Police Department who can also introduce them with victim advocate groups that can assist them with legal processes. 

There are also partnerships between MDC and local organizations—such as the Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center and the Women United in Justice, Education Reform for domestic and sexual abuse victims—that can help students and employees cope with trauma. 

To reduce the number of stalking cases, the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention has been giving workshops about related crimes and bystander Intervention. Their next virtual presentation will discuss boundaries and consent on Feb. 26.

“We’re here for our students and we definitely want them to feel comfortable reporting things to us,” said Yakir Fernandez, the College’s Director of Emergency Preparedness. “We may be able to intervene and help them through the process and help them figure out what’s going on. [The College] wants to address the situation so that your education doesn’t get impacted.”

To learn more about MDC resources for sexual violence prevention, visit the following page: https://www.mdc.edu/preventsexualviolence/