Seoul Opens 3 'Stalking Victim Protection Facilities'... Facilities for Male Victims Also Established

Opening of the Nation's First Protection Facility Nationwide from the 15th
1 in 5 Seoul Citizens Have Experienced Stalking
CCTV, 112 Emergency Bell, and Ansim Emergency Bell Installed
Separate Mobile Phones Provided to Prevent Location Tracking

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Seoul City is establishing three protection facilities for stalking victims, the first of their kind nationwide, and will operate them starting from the 15th. Among the three facilities, one is designated for male victims.

The stalking victim protection facilities are equipped with safety devices such as CCTV and 112 emergency bells, providing spaces where victims can continue their daily lives including commuting and going out. Psychological treatment for trauma such as post-accident sequelae is also provided to help restore normal life.

Although awareness of stalking victimization has increased following the enactment of stalking punishment laws and a series of stalking-related murders, responses and protections remain insufficient.

One in five Seoul citizens has experienced stalking victimization. Offline victimization was 21.1%, and online victimization was 23.2%. This is based on a 14-day survey conducted by Seoul City and Namu Women’s Human Rights Counseling Center targeting 2,013 citizens aged 19 to 49 residing in Seoul.

The most common location where stalking was experienced was 'home' (27.3%). The types of stalking victimization were ‘continued following or contacting despite being told to stop’ (16.8%) and ‘waiting or staring near home or workplace’ (11.8%), in that order.

Offline stalking victim response methods mostly included directly requesting the perpetrator to stop (31.7%) and asking family or acquaintances for help (20.4%), while reporting to the police or seeking help from support organizations was rare. Reasons for not responding included not knowing how to respond (20.7%), believing punishment would not be enforced (18.5%), and fear of retaliation (16.3%).

Seoul City remodeled existing domestic violence protection facilities and has been piloting stalking victim protection facilities since November last year. In cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, crime prevention diagnostics were conducted at the facilities, and safety equipment such as CCTV and secure door locks were installed, with police patrols around the facilities strengthened.

The stalking victim protection facilities are equipped with a 112 emergency bell that summons police in urgent situations, and an 'Ansim Emergency Bell' that allows the victim to call for help by shouting "Help me" without pressing the bell, which is monitored by the district control center via CCTV to assess the situation and dispatch police urgently.

Residents can use the safety app’s return-home monitoring function when going out to receive real-time monitoring from the control center. Safety devices such as smart doorbells help check in advance whether the perpetrator is lurking nearby.

Unlike other protection facilities that restrict mobile phone use due to location tracking concerns, mobile phone use is allowed. The city provides separate phones to residents to protect them from location tracking and other risks.

An operational manual for the protection facilities specifies detailed guidelines including behavior rules upon admission, responses to emergency situations, monitoring plans around the facility, response methods when going out, and plans for regular mock drills.

Stalking victims wishing to enter the facilities can contact the Women’s Emergency Call Seoul Center for facility linkage. Male victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking can contact the 'Men’s Telephone Domestic Violence Counseling Center.'

Starting next year, Seoul City will implement a 'One-Stop Support Project for Stalking Victims' that provides customized legal, psychological, medical, and accompaniment support services with a single phone call. Support services will be provided all at once through an emergency hotline.

Additionally, from next year, a 'Companion Service' using professional security personnel will be promoted to protect stalking victims who feel unsafe during their commute. The scope of security and number of companions will be gradually expanded starting from commuting times.

Kim Seonsun, Director of the Seoul City Women and Family Policy Office, said, "Serious crimes caused by stalking have been continuously occurring recently, increasing citizens’ anxiety. Through the stalking victim protection facilities, we aim to ensure citizens’ safety and establish an integrated support system from prevention to assistance to do our best to help victims restore their daily lives."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.