Sequoyah County Commissioners have proclaimed January as both Stalking Awareness Month as well as Human Trafficking Month for the county.
In advocating for the proclamation, Cindy Smith, an investigator for the Special Victims Crime Unit of the Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Office, told the commissioners that the county’s Coordinated Community Response (CCR) team and the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) are not mandated by state law, as is the multidisciplinary task force team that deals with child abuse.
“However, we do the same jobs, just with the adults,” Smith said, pointing out that she could expound on numbers and statistics “all day long.”
“But I think the only number that I could really throw out there that’s going to tell the tale is that Oklahoma stands Number One in domestic violence-related homicides. Number One. We want to be Number One in a lot of things, but I’m pretty sure [domestic violence] was not our intent,” Smith said. “When you look at stalking, and even human trafficking, most stalking victims that are murdered are murdered by someone they know. So those all play into those Number One numbers that we have.”
Smith told the commissioners CCR and SART can’t combat stalking and human trafficking by themselves, saying that support is needed from several groups. She said numerous groups have stepped up, citing Cherokee Nation, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Office, Oklahoma Human Services and others.
“We can’t do it by ourselves. We need your support. These victims, and certainly the survivors of these things, need your support. And they need to know that they’re not just another number.”
Smith also announced that Tennessee has now passed a law requiring certain domestic violence offenders to register as an offender.
“That was all due to the fact that a deputy was killed by her significant other, and that’s what started it there. Why did we let them get ahead of us? We’re Number One in this, and we let them get ahead of us? Well, I want to lead. I do not want to follow. We’re following, and we need to lead,” Smith said. “Now, granted, I’ll take follow on this one. When you see that Number One in domestic violence-related homicides, it tells the tale. I mean, it’s kind of like a mic-drop thing.”
Smith encourages everyone to contact their senators and state representatives to generate statewide support. “Let’s make this happen in Oklahoma. What we’re doing is not working, obviously. We want to be at the top of education. We want to be at the top of a lot of things. Domestic violence-related homicides just is not it.”
In addition, the commissioners approved a request by the CCR team to place a table inside the courthouse entrance on January 16 to distribute information about stalking. Popcorn will also be served, and there will be a photo booth where people can take their photo and post it on their social media for stalking awareness.
