The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the virtual training “Stalking Must Stop.”
In this webinar, Debbie Riddle will provide an overview on the crime of stalking, the associated behaviors, and the impact of stalking on victims. She will share the story of her sister, Peggy Klinke, who was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Prior to her killing, Peggy was relentlessly stalked by her abuser for a full year under the watchful eye of the criminal justice system. Debbie will then discuss her advocacy role as an advocate and educator, including her role the development of “STALKING: Real Fear, Real Crime” training video released in the United States as a training tool for law enforcement during roll call.
In January 2003, Debbie Riddle's youngest sister, Peggy, was murdered by a man who stalked her for almost a year. Peggy had regularly documented all of the stalking behavior, sought help from the criminal justice system, put an order of protection in place and ultimately moved to another state to escape the stalking − to no avail. On January 18, 2003, Peggy's stalker found and killed her. He then killed himself. The month after Peggy's murder, Debbie began to speak out about stalking, using Peggy's story as a catalyst for change. By speaking out, she educated lawmakers, law enforcement, and court systems about stalking and its devastating effects; Debbie hopes to change how law enforcement responds to stalking with earlier intervention and stronger responses. Her tenacity and desire to keep Peggy's memory alive have helped bring national attention to this horrific crime. Debbie is now one of the country's leading speakers on stalking and has made strides toward changing how communities deal with stalking crimes.
Shortly after Peggy's death, Debbie began working with the National Center for Victims of Crime and the Stalking Resource Center. During this time, she was sought out by Erin Brockovich and Lifetime Television to help produce a segment for Erin's show "Final Justice." While working on the project in July 2003, Debbie was asked to speak at a Congressional briefing requesting U.S. Congress to recognize January, the month Peggy was murdered, as Stalking Awareness Month. January 2023 marks the 19th annual National Stalking Awareness Month.
While working with the Stalking Resource Center and Lifetime Television, Debbie helped create the roll call video, an 18-minute stalking awareness training video produced primarily for use with law enforcement training. Today the video is utilized across the U.S. to train all divisions of our criminal justice system, forensic nurses, victim's advocates, and college women's centers and staff. The first segment of the video focuses on Peggy's stalking ordeal and highlights many methods stalkers use to terrorize their victims. The second portion of the video features Retired Lieutenant Mark Wynn, a nationally recognized stalking expert and law enforcement trainer. This video helps law enforcement to identify, investigate and prosecute stalking cases more successfully.
In 2007 Debbie was named one of the five Most Treasured Volunteers at the 66th annual Human Services Institute of the Center for Community Solutions. Debbie approached the Domestic Violence Center after her sister was stalked and murdered by her ex-boyfriend. After educating herself on stalking, the laws, and police protocol, Debbie became heavily involved in educating others and raising awareness as a national speaker for the Stalking Resource Center. Debbie was also awarded The Eleanor R. Gerson leadership in Social Justice Award.
Today she continues to speak at training sessions, webinars, college campus training, and high school and youth groups throughout the U.S.
Participant Registration and Cost:
This training is free. Participants need to register in advance for the training. Please visit here to register.
