Recently, AMNY has learned that New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes and State Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas are joining forces to introduce the “CREEP Act,” aimed at providing more legal protection for victims of stalking and harassment by strangers. The full name of the act is the “Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory Behavior Act,” also known as the Anti-Stalking Act in Chinese, and if passed, it will expand the scope of civil protection orders to allow victims to access legal assistance more swiftly.
Currently, New York state law only allows victims to apply for civil protection orders in cases where there is an “intimate relationship” or family relationship with the stalker. This has left many stalking victims – such as students harassed by classmates, therapists stalked by patients, employees harassed by colleagues, celebrities harassed by fans, and even former roommates engaging in stalking – unable to seek protection under existing regulations.
Some lawyers have pointed out that this legal loophole has left a large number of victims feeling helpless, with their only recourse being to report to the police, undergo lengthy investigations, and potentially only receive legal protection after the suspect has been arrested.
In the age of the internet, social media, and digital technology have made harassment behaviors more widespread. Senator Gounardes stated that the “CREEP Act” will expand legal regulations on online stalking, revenge porn, deepfake, and other behaviors, enabling civil courts to provide quicker protection for victims.
Senator Gounardes emphasized that New York’s protection of stalking victims is among the worst in the United States among all 50 states. While 43 states have updated similar laws, New York is lagging behind, highlighting the need to modernize the state’s laws to ensure all individuals can receive protection both online and offline.
Assembly Member Gonzalez-Rojas pointed out that victims should not have to endure harm simply because they do not have an intimate relationship with their harassers. The “CREEP Act” will ensure that victims can apply for civil protection orders regardless of their familiarity with the harasser.
Currently under review in the New York State Legislature, if passed, this act will bring significant changes to New York State’s anti-stalking protection regulations.