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Unfortunately, domestic violence is a huge problem in the United States and around the world. The District Attorney’s office in Staten Island, NY, have developed a solution, they hope will protect victims and prevent future attacks. The program is being called the Domestic Violence GPS Initiative, and involves attached GPS tracking devices to people with multiple convictions of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse cases are ugly, and often involve stalking. Abusive relationships tend to have an element of obsession that can be almost impossible to escape. It is all too common that victims of domestic abuse are terrorized by their abusers to the point of filing a restraining order. Unfortunately, restraining orders do not always deter abusers from harassing their victims. The District Attorney’s office states that “almost half of all domestic abusers are repeat offenders and about 25 percent of all domestic violence cases in the borough include a charge for violating a court order of protection.”

There is hope that requiring men and women to wear GPS tracking devices, who have been convicted of domestic violence on more than one occasion, will deter them from future contact with their victims. However, victims need not rely on the intentions or self-protective instincts of their abusers. The Domestic Violence GPS Initiative also includes software that alerts victims when the abuser is near. Victims of a repeat domestic abuser can establish a 1,000-foot boundary around their home, office or school, which will detect if the abuser enters the established area. The victim can then alert police and hopefully avoid a confrontation.

“To many domestic abusers, an order of protection is just a piece of paper,” explains Daniel Donovan, Staten Island District Attorney. “It does not deter these relentless scofflaws from constantly terrorizing and attacking their victims. I refuse to stand by and continue to watch this happen time and again without trying to do something about it.”