Abduction Fiasco

[Pyrotastical]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Let's just say I work for an anonymous counseling thing. They don't know me. I don't know them, I talk to them. Normally, I deal with people who's parents are divorcing, rape survivors and people who have lost a loved one. They are not in immediate danger. This girl is not "normally." This is far beyond something anonymous counseling can help.

She was abducted by a group of people. She has not said exactly what they did to her. No one reported her missing. She is legally an adult. This incident went unreported for roughly six months. Those people have contacted her, again. They have told her a few things that implicate that they have been following her and watching her.

I advised her to file a police report, this time. However, because the original incident was so bizarre, hard to believe and unreported, I am afraid they will not believe her, especially because the local police in her small town are very aware that she has tried to run away from home, before. The police chief has called her an attention seeker. I'm not sure how many police reports come in for things that happened 4-6 months, ago.

I am a Psychology major at a half-rate college. I know nothing about law. I want to give the best advice I can give her. From a legal standpoint, what would be the best advice?

She is also afraid that if the people following her see her walk into a police station, they will know that she reported the incident and will further harm her.

What do local police departments do to protect the people who file these reports if they are in danger? If the police don't take her seriously, who will?

 

[CdwJava]

If there is some sort of evidence of a crime, or the details are sufficiently credible, the police can refer her to Victim-Witness who can arrange for alternative lodging for a time.

She can ask to meet an officer at a place of her choosing if she does not want to go to them, but there is no guarantee that anyone will believe her if it is bizarre, and if the crime occurred some time ago. Hopefully she has something she can point to - or someone - that can help them verify at least some of what she says.

If it i a small agency, that can be a blessing, or it can be a curse because they might not have the resources to look into it.

 

[Pyrotastical]

She can ask to meet an officer at a place of her choosing if she does not want to go to them, but there is no guarantee that anyone will believe her if it is bizarre, and if the crime occurred some time ago. Hopefully she has something she can point to - or someone - that can help them verify at least some of what she says.

Nothing. No one.

Thank you. I will relay that she can ask for that. That will hopefully help.

 

[Pyrotastical]

Psychologically speaking, it seems like this girl is not in the right place to report. She not only refuses but has a living situation that makes it very difficult to get out of her house.

If an anonymous report was called into the local police about "seeing" someone following this girl or something, would they take it seriously?

I have made every effort, but she is not going to do it.

 

[st-kitts]

You sound so well meaning. Have you talked to your supervisor or director of the crisis line for advice? What did they say?

 

[Pyrotastical]

Almost verbatim:

"You have done everything you can do for her short of driving out there and abducting her, yourself. You have told her the best course of action and you have made it very clear that it is what she should do. There is nothing else you can do."

Another instance:

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. You're doing your best. Try not to lose sleep over it."

Another person told me that I should have pressed the issue of a police report after the first time she was raped. I should have.

We've tried directing her to different people and established help lines (that are actually recognized as such) and she always comes back to me. She is, at best, wary of other people.

Understand that our resources are limited by anonymity and we're not recognized by any standards as an organization. I'm a volunteer with half of a bachelor's in Psychology.

 

[CdwJava]

If an anonymous report was called into the local police about "seeing" someone following this girl or something, would they take it seriously?

Whether they might take it seriously is not the question. The question is: Could they do anything about it?

The answer, when discussing an anonymous report without a cooperative victim is, "No."

Keep in mind that she may not have been abducted at all. She may be subject to a mental illness or some form of delusion.

You can only do what you can do.

 

[anearthw]

Your supervisor is correct, realistically you have done all that you can do aside from making the report to the police yourself.

As a personal suggestion (I have worked in crisis line counseling and 911 dispatching for years), her story is highly suspect. It is actually a very common story for people with mental health issues to report, I can think of several times I've heard the same thin, CdwJava likely has as well. Many people who contact crisis lines are also quite manipulative because they know that usually kind-hearted and trusting people staff them.

Like I said, I've been on both ends. If as a dispatcher I received your call, I would still send an officer to speak with her or check on her welfare (as I can guarantee she is a 'frequent flyer' and they have done check welfares on her before) but it's very unlikely anything will come out of the situation. Often people like that have a lengthy history of mental health-related complaints (similar but variant stories) so whether or not they will really believe her, who knows.

If this is getting to you (and it is or else you wouldn't ask), then feel free to report to the police - but do keep in mind that it seems very likely that this girl keeps coming to you for the obvious reason (you are the only one interested in entertaining her story). Good luck. But I think there's not much more to this than a bit of a lost soul taking advantage of a green but kind individual.

 

[CreativeBlock]

I am a Psychology major at a half-rate college. I know nothing about law. I want to give the best advice I can give her. From a legal standpoint, what would be the best advice?

The best advice? Tell her she needs therapy. Help her find low-cost or free counseling.

Google Tawana Brawley (the most famous pseudovictim of them all).

With over 20 years of psychology under my belt, I can assure you to a great degree that you're dealing with a pseudovictim.

Edited to add:

The best thing you can do is to begin a dialogue on her current stressors. Ask her about her familial relationships, problems she might be having as re work or school, etc. Let her know (and I can't stress this enough) that you understand what she's going through. Do NOT encourage the fantasy. Hint that you realize (and don't judge her for) that she's creating the situation for attention ~ but that there ARE people who care and can help her.

I'll wager that to each of her scenarios, there's never been a witness. And if this has been going on for "over six months" there WOULD be witnesses. Not to mention the fact that I've never heard of scenarios where an abductee (abducted by strangers) is released only to be tormented and/or threatened later. The average UNSUB does NOT operate that way.

Above all, stress that she is NOT "mentally ill." She is simply reacting to severe stressors in an attempt to seek help.