Stalking: A “Love” Story
January 30, 2025, 10:30 am-11:30 am
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the virtual training, “Stalking: A 'Love' Story.”
Description:
After a difficult divorce and a few years on her own, Nicole Bialko re-entered the dating world via the dating site eHarmony, where she met and started dating a man who claimed to be a U.S. Marine. The relationship was immediately unhealthy, and she was emotionally abused and mentally manipulated by her partner.
She continually tried to end the relationship, but he would not let her go, and the abuse led to scare tactics and stalking. She became afraid for her life as every attempt to get him to leave her alone failed, including blocking over 270 different phone numbers and email addresses he created.
Nicole left for a weekend only to return to the smell of his cologne and discover that her ex-partner broke into her home and left “love” notes saying in part, “We are magical together.” She would go on to find 19 different notes in every room of her home. Nicole realized she could not solve the problem alone, and after months of being stalked, she reached out to authorities. She petitioned the court and secured a Civil Protective Order, and the evidence she turned over to police led to a grand jury indictment, and her stalker spent five days in jail. He pleaded to a “criminal mischief” misdemeanor, and she delivered a Victim Impact Statement to the judge.
Nicole discovered that her ex-partner was not a Marine and had a predatory past. The experience has left her determined to help educate and protect other women.
Nicole believes sharing our stories offers us healing properties and allows us to educate others and shed light on the fact that abuse takes many forms. Whenever and wherever she can, she reminds us to trust our instincts and never excuse a red flag.
As a result of this training, attendees will be able to:
- Describe the red flags that stalking victims often overlook.
- Explain the physical, emotional, and financial toll stalking can have on victims.
- Identify the support a victim may need to help them find safety, justice, and resilience.
Presenter:
Nicole Bialko is a survivor of stalking by a former partner she met online. This harrowing experience has left her determined to help educate and protect other women. She has written about her experiences with stalking, love bombing, and relationship red flags. As a member of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s Speaker’s Bureau, she has shared her story on NBC 4 Columbus, Public News Service, Clark State College, Through the Eyes of a Survivor Summit, and the Strictly Stalking podcast. She was the featured keynote speaker at the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s annual training event.
She is a contributing writer to Abuse Refuge Org, authoring articles about her stalking experience and instructional articles about the warning signs of stalking and steps victims can take to protect themselves.
When: January 30, 2025, 10:30 am-11:30 am
Participant Registration and Cost: This training is free. Participants need to register in advance for the training. Please visit here to register.
Contact:
Tricia Everetts, MSW
Victims Services Training Coordinator
Tricia.Everetts@dcjs.virginia.gov
(804) 292-4892