January 5, 2017 was the first time that I have ever tried to tell a police officer about being victimized by voyeurism. I never tried to talk to the police about it before because I didn't think that I would be believed; it's always been difficult for me to believe that I've been so horribly victimized. It's happened to me over and over again, first in a homeless shelter in Vermont and then repeatedly in Massachusetts since 2011. Being 42 years old now, and never having been a consumer of Internet or other pornography, I had no idea how avid an audience voyeurs have for the sick ways that they invade people's privacy, and I was totally unprepared for this to happen to me once, let alone over and over again until I can't live anywhere or use a restroom or a shower anywhere without fearing that I'm being videotaped with hidden and illegal cameras for the amusement of whoever put them there and everyone who likes to victim-blame me for the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
I could give you a list of all of the places where this has happened, and perhaps I'll be fortunate enough that you'll believe me about my apartment first so that you won't then think I'm crazy for telling you about all of the other places where it's entirely possible that hidden cameras have been criminally invading the privacy of hundreds of people for years. Those places really ought to be investigated, and maybe if you can help me with my current situation you'll then know that this is real and will be able to alert the police stations near the other places where this has happened.
Some things have changed since my last email to you and I have some additional information about my housing situation:
(These were paragraphs about my having gotten another housing voucher, being given a neutral reference from the landlord and the possibility of negotiating a timeframe for moving out that is not as abrupt as the end of February 2017, since homelessness would be my only option in February.)
Things could be worse.
However, I wish that I did not have to be the one to step aside when it's someone else who has done something wrong.
I should not have to be on the defensive when I'm the one whose rights have been criminally violated. I should not have to say "I'm sorry, I was delusional when I said that I thought that there were hidden and illegal cameras in the apartment; please forgive me for my lapse of sanity and don't throw me into the street right away. I'm sorry that I made your life more painful with my concerns; I'll never talk about it again."
Although not in so many words, that's probably what I'm going to have to say to be able to live in this apartment past the end of February, even if it's only for a few months, if I can't prove that the hidden cameras are in the apartment. (The property management's) lawyer has offered me the option of requesting a Reasonable Accomodation for a disability so that I can live here for a little while trying to get another place to live. I can fill out the paperwork for the Reasonable Accomodation, but even that is something that (the property management) can actually refuse to grant if it doesn't want to.
During all of this, no matter what happens for the next several months, I'm going to have school every night of the week except for Friday and the weekend, and I'm going to have homework to do and tests to study for. I have also sought employment since September; I had hoped to be working part-time while attending school.
I think that I should have had the opportunity to have the apartment searched for hidden cameras by the police before I got the January 5, 2017 Notice of Non-Renewal of Lease, but I didn't contact the police until after I got the January 5, 2017 letter. (The property management's lawyer's) December 22, 2016 letter to me, saying that I had to stop talking to the property management about hidden cameras, also said that I was "encouraged" to talk to the police about my concerns that there were hidden cameras in the apartment, to prove to me that there aren't hidden cameras. You have a picture of both letters that he sent me; almost every email that he has sent me has said "You have given no evidence that there are hidden cameras in the apartment," and since the basis of my being asked to leave the apartment is that I told the property management that I knew the cameras were there and please to get them out, I might be able to stop all of this and get them to get the cameras out, stop calling me a crazy liar, and leave me in peace if the Police Department will really search the apartment with an electronic device that either detects light or frequency from the cameras to detect precisely where they are.
If someone doesn't stop the voyeurism from happening to me, it could happen again no matter where I move to. Also, if someone doesn't get the cameras out of this apartment, then I'll have to live with them while I'm trying to get another apartment, and I'm sure that (the property management) will force me not to talk to anyone about it as a condition of my being able to live here for any amount of time.
If you don't find the cameras in this apartment, then I don't think there's a reason for you to talk to the property management or anyone else from or representing (the property management) about my concerns about the cameras. I think all that would do would get (the property management) to call their lawyer and say something negative about me.
I know that the cameras are here. I have lived in this misery in one place after another for so many years that there's no reason for me not to finally have asked the police to do something about it. I hope that you will help me.
January 28, 2017 is the deadline that (the property management's lawyer) has given me either to prove that the cameras are in the apartment or to give my written notice of intention to vacate before the end of February 2017 or to negotiate another timeframe for me to move out of the building. I really need to prove that the cameras are in the apartment this week.
Thank you for your time.
Lena Kochman
Copyright L. Kochman, January 18, 2017 @ 1:04 p.m.
