At age fourteen, future Chatham student Sarah Pesi started to draft a bill. Two years earlier, Pesi realized she had a stalker, and Pennsylvania law didn’t allow her to get a restraining order. She spent her high school years working to ensure no one else in the state would face the same obstacles to get protection. Before the vote in the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee, Pesi took the time to tell us her story.
Update: Sarah’s Bill successfully passed the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee and now goes to another vote on the House floor. Congratulations, Sarah!
HC Chatham: What is happening on Tuesday?
Sarah Pesi: Tuesday my bill is going to be voted on in the House Judiciary Committee as an Amendment to SB 681, which will add stalking and harassment offenses to a similar bill that passed the senate unanimously. The bill itself will also be voted on as well. If it passes then it will move onto the House for a full vote which will happen at a later date, then it must go back to the Senate and then hopefully to the Governor’s desk. Tuesday will be the first step to getting it done. Committee is a huge step because that is where most bills die.
What is the purpose of the bill?
The purpose of the bill is to allow those that don’t fit the relationship nexus to get a PFA to be able to get a restraining order to stop stalking, harassing, and other abusive behaviors.
What happened in your life to prompt the bill?
I was inspired to write the bill at the age of 14 because I had a personal life experience in which I was being stalked and harassed by an adult and was unable to get a protective order because he didn’t fit the relationship nexus to get a PFA because he wasn’t a relative and I didn’t date him. I was therefore forced to quit my job, an activity I enjoyed, because it wasn’t safe anymore. Shortly after, I joined a club called Youth and Government where I was chosen to be a senator at our mock legislative session. Each legislator had to write a bill for this and my advisor challenged each of us by saying “pick something in PA which frustrates [you] that you would like to change.” I then knew exactly what I was going to write about.
How did you get started? What is the process like?
So first I learned from the bill coordinator of my Mon Valley Youth and Government club about the formatting of Youth and Government bills. Then I did tons of research on what other states were doing, current laws on the books in this state and other states, recommendations and literature from the National Crime Victims Center, and just any other relevant information to become an expert on the topic. The Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report on Stalking Victimization, which was the most comprehensive report on stalking to date, had just been released and the data was incredibly helpful. I also drew from my own experience on what could be better. I drafted a Youth and Government bill which passed committee, the House, and the Senate and got signed by the Youth Governor and it also won [the] bill citation award. I wasn’t happy leaving it as an imaginary bill, so I brought it to my Representative who agreed to sponsor it. But for three years it hadn’t really moved, then I met the Women and Girls Foundation who taught me advocacy skills which resulted in the bill finally moving.
The process has been eye-opening; every trip I learn a ton. The legislative process is a lot more complicated than how it is portrayed in civics class. The process has been empowering but at the same time, because I am so emotionally invested in the bill, it can be frustrating and saddening when I have setbacks. I’ve done speaking engagements regarding my bill and afterwards people often come up to me afterwards to thank me and share their own personal experiences, and that has been a driving force to keep me going forward. That’s why I take setbacks so hard: it is because I think of all the people that are being let down who could use this law because it’s people’s health and well-being that is on the line. Also, working with the Women and Girls Foundation has been amazing. The board, membership, and staff have all been amazing and essential to getting my bill to move forward. They have offered me a lot of support, and the membership base is … full of powerful women role models. I am really thankful for all of their work. Heather Arnet and Tara Simmons have been role models for me and are my heroes from the organization. They are just awesome people who I hope to emulate, and they have taught me a ton. This part of the process has been great: to be making a difference and meeting tons of amazing people along the way who have helped to move this forward. I think it is important to emphasize that, yes, I started this bill, but without the support of everyone it wouldn’t move. The success of the bill is truly a result of a group effort. The list is very extensive of all the people I owe thanks to.
Who is sponsoring your bill?
SB 681 is being sponsored by Senator Greenleaf, and my amendment is being sponsored by Representative Ellis.
What is the projected impact of the bill if it passes?
The projected impact of the bill if it passes is that it will be able to help the 60% of stalking and harassment victims in PA [who] are currently not protected under current laws. It could help millions in PA – it’s hard to put a specific number – but statistics found on the National Center for Victims of Crimes estimates 1 in 4 women and 1 in 13 men will experience stalking in their lifetime, so it can help a lot of people.
I was shocked by the statistic on your website that this legislation would have been applicable to the cases of over 1 million people thus far. What advice do you have for women who may be going through a similar situation to your own?
Advice I have for women in similar situations is it is essential to do what you have to do to ensure you are safe. I would develop a safety plan, record every incident and report it to the police, and watch your self-care; stalking has many effects on your health. I would recommend reaching out to the crime victim center where they have trained professionals and can offer better advice.
How can people support your work?
You can learn more about it at SarahsBill.org, and sign up for email alerts to get added to our email list to find out what is coming up next and how you can help.