A woman's interaction between her and a female police officer went viral after she posted it on TikTok last week. In the video, the woman claimed her ex-boyfriend destroyed her property but the officer said nothing could be done.
Courtney O'Connor, who goes by @courtneyoconnor11 on TikTok, posted the footage which has amassed more than 1.7 million views and 14,300 comments since being published three days ago. She said the incident occurred in Woodward, Oklahoma.
"BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CHOSE TO DATE," the caption of O'Connor's video read. "THE SYSTEM IS A JOKE."
In a prior video, O'Connor mentioned that she and her ex used to live together in the home, but that they broke up.
Many in the comments were quick to mention that since the two technically shared the property together, police could not get involved unless he was officially evicted. Others mentioned that the situation was a "civil matter" because it was shared property.
In the now-viral video, a police officer stands at the front door and explains there was "nothing we can do." She said that technically anything inside the house is his and that she needed to take him to court.
"So he can punch holes in the wall, destroy everything," the police officer said. "And there's nothing law enforcement can do about it until something else happens."
"That's such a joke," O'Connor replied to the officer.
"So if he comes here and shoots her that's on you guys," a person standing with O'Connor added.
The police officer replied that if he did do something to her, "then we can do something to him."
The person next to O'Connor said that he did do something to her, but the police officer said that the destroyed house was physical property and that in order to get involved, he would have to threaten or physically harm her.
"You'll have to file a protective order against him," the officer said. "As I've explained to her, as I've explained to you. She needs to file for an eviction."
In a follow-up video, the officer said she would take a report but that it would have to be listed as a civil issue. She also said she can't do anything about "him going inside his own residence" because that was also a civil issue.
Many came to the officer's side in the follow-up video saying she was just doing her job.
"I know it's frustrating but she has certain laws she has to abide by," one user commented.
Destruction of property is a common form of intimate partner violence that attempts to control and scare victims. Unfortunately, when the victim and partner share a living space, it is considered shared property.
According to Kelly Weisberg, a professor of law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, the motivation for property damage stems from an abuser's desire to show control and threaten their partner.
"States increasingly are recognizing property damage as a form of intimate partner violence," Weisberg wrote in a report. "Given the prevalence of this form of abuse, prosecutors should make greater use of criminal mischief laws. The application of criminal mischief laws has a significant advantage over the use of laws punishing injury to the person."
Many users were angry in the comments and said the police not getting involved is what leads to many women not being able to get out of domestic violence situations.
"This is why some people end up being killed by their person," one user wrote. "Because when they try to get help to keep safe they r told unless they hurt u we can't do anything."
Another user mentioned that they went through the same situation when they were being "heavily stalked."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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