Milwaukee crime and public safety

Stalked and terrified, she turned to the justice system. What happened left her feeling more unsafe.

Domestic abuse survivor Calani, photographed Friday, May 12, 2023, has been repeatedly stalked and harassed by the father of her child. The man, who has serious mental health and addiction issues, faced criminal charges but most of them were dismissed in a plea deal because it was the same pattern of conduct.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Calani celebrated the day she bought a house in a Milwaukee suburb, thinking of the stability it would provide her children after years of moving.

Now her home feels like a prison.

Calani, a single parent of three, was stalked by an ex-boyfriend — the father of her youngest child — for more than a year.

The harassment changed her life. She installed security cameras and automatic lights. She hid weapons around her house and filed police reports. She filed for restraining orders, securing a four-year order of protection for herself and a 10-year order for each of her children.

She even took the step of legally changing her name, hoping for a sense of normalcy in the future. The USA TODAY Network is using her middle name because of safety and privacy concerns.