A groundbreaking step in how stalking and privacy violations are handled.

Recently, the news broke that Erin Andrews won her lawsuit against her stalker, Michael David Barrett, as well as West End Hotel Partners the company that owned the Marriott Hotel she was staying with and its former operator, Windsor Capital Group.

For those readers that are unfamiliar with the case, Erin Andrews, a well known sportscaster, was the victim of stalker Michael David Barrett in 2008. He followed her from state to state and filmed her undressing through the peep holes of her hotel rooms. Barrett was arrested by the F.B.I. in 2009 and served 30 months in prison. Andrews filed lawsuits against Barrett and the hotels for invasion of privacy and gross negligence. According to court documents, Barrett has committed similar crimes against at least 16 other women.

The verdict of this case is groundbreaking and while the penalty was not as severe for Michael David Barrett as it could’ve (and should’ve) been,  it’s a step in the right direction for personal privacy law.

Ms. Andrews was violated in a very personal way to her. While I would find it funny to unleash my naked ass to the world to gross out the general population, Andrews has worked extremely hard to break into a very male dominated field on the basis of her intelligence and ambition, not her looks, only to have her body put on the Internet until the end of time.

Now, when you say her name the immediate thought that pops into your mind is sex tape, not top level sports reporter. Andrews emotional and mental trauma has been well documented, her testimony in court devastating, and she has fought very hard to deal with this entire situation with dignity. Yet, this situation should never have happened in the first place.

I could be wrong and I don’t know her mind, but I really don’t think this lawsuit was about the money for Andrews. Instead it was more about adding to the consequences of the next ass clown that wants to try this and to the lax security of hotels.

Despite backlash regarding the settlement and false equivalencies, there should be dire consequences to both.