Of the 27 percent who were convicted, most were put on probation. Only a quarter went to jail, usually for four months or less. Once they leave prison, monitoring of stalkers like Ric White is patently ineffective. The same applies to offenders out on bail, probation or peace bonds. The consequences can be deadly.
Evidence suggests that each week two to three Canadian women are killed by current or past lovers.
We also devise strategies to ensure the victim is safe. But the harm associated with stalking needn't be physical to ruin lives. A hallmark of the behaviour is that it can go on for years. For eight years the threats continued, tapering off only when he met and married another woman. Victims agree there are telltale signs women should look out for.