How to Start and Facilitate a Support Group for Victims of Stalking

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How to Start and Facilitate a Support Group for Victims of Stalking• Find an ally at a potential partner agency. A victim advocate who was facilitating asupport group developed a strong relationship with a domestic violence unit detectivewho was especially interested in responding to stalking. The detective, in turn, reachedout to the entire police department to educate other officers on stalking and help hersupervisors improve the department’s response to the crime. The facilitator also servedas a liaison between this detective and group members who needed additional help ontheir cases.In another jurisdiction, a stalking survivor who started a support group enlisteda skilled prosecutor who had worked on her case to assist the group. As a result of thefacilitator’s initiative, the support group met in the prosecutor’s office and involved avictim advocate from the prosecutor’s office as a co-facilitator. This prosecutor and facilitatoreventually trained the entire prosecutor’s office on the needs of stalking victimsand the impact of the crime on their lives.• Coordinate goals. One organizer partnered with law enforcement by inviting the policechief to speak at group meetings. The partnership benefited both the group and thepolice department. The group gained information about the criminal justice system andadditional assistance from the police. The chief benefited from gaining specific informationon how to improve the agency’s response to stalking. This collaboration helped thegroup meet its goal of educating and advocating for members and the chief ’s goal ofadequately responding to stalking victims.In another community, a local domestic violence agency learned about the connectionbetween intimate partner violence and stalking after surveying survivors whohad used their services. The agency identified the need to better serve stalking victimson their annual programming plan and designated one advocate’s time to conductingresearch and developing a stalking support group.• Swap resources with agencies or individuals. One organizer reached out to localdomestic violence shelter staff, who agreed to refer stalking victims to the supportgroup. In return, the support group referred members to the shelter for housing andcase management services. Another organizer partnered with a local police department,which donated free meeting space, security, and guest speakers to the group. In return,the organizer invited a representative from the department to join her when she wasinvited to speak on a local radio program about stalking.To enhance the coordination of their services to victims, many communities have establishedcollaborations in the form of domestic violence coordinated community response teams(CCR) or sexual assault response teams (SART). Support group organizers should considerthe possibility of building upon these or other existing community efforts and partnerships.For more information on coordinated community responses, please see the Stalking ResourceCenter Web site at www.ncvc.org/src.12
Chapter 3Group PreparationsPreparatory work is crucial to the outcomes and successes of a stalking support group.The planning stage offers time to determine membership criteria, the format of the group, andpossible challenges. Careful planning and critical thought will greatly enhance support groupmembers’ experiences in the group.Determining Group PurposeOnce the group organizers have completed their community assessment, they can use theirfindings about victims and services in their community to establish a clear, defining purposefor the support group. Group organizers should ask themselves, “What will group membersgain from participating in this group?” Articulate objectives as clearly as possible in a purposestatement. For example, one stalking support group stated its purpose was “to provide stalkingsurvivors with emotional support and to educate them about available community resources.”The purpose statement guides all other planning decisions, such as group type, membership,facilitators, and structure.Determining Membership CriteriaAll group members should have a similar purpose for joining the group, even if they bring a varietyof experiences, resources, and perspectives to share. Consider how individuals’ experiences,goals, and needs are (or are not) compatible with the group’s purpose. Membership criteria thatdraw on common concerns will help create a supportive and effective group. Criteria to considerinclude age, gender, relationship to stalker, current level of danger, and the role of differentcultures in shaping victims’ responses to stalking.Facilitators may choose to make membership criteria flexible. In one group, for example,the agreed upon purpose did not limit membership by gender. The organizer knew that more13
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Page 41 and 42: AppendixSample CurriculumThe follow
Page 43 and 44: aPPendixSample Weekly TopicsWeek 1G
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Page 47 and 48: aPPendixWeek 5Stalking Logs and Pro
Page 49 and 50: aPPendixWeek 7Relationships with Ot
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