Sonya Deville believes laws around stalking need to be changed.
WWE star Asuka recently opened up about her experience with obsessed fans. Her vocalization of the issues has reignited the debate about fans invading the privacy of wrestlers and potentially putting them into dangerous situations.
Deville who experienced one of the most extreme cases of this kind back in 2020 opened up about it during a recent interview with Fox 5 New York. She noted that it is something that she doesn’t wish upon anybody:
“It was a crazy time period. It was what? Like 5 years ago now. Yeah, it was an unfortunate incident that I don’t wish upon anybody. I think there’s a lot that can be done to change some laws and regulations around stalking victims.”
I Was Very Fortunate: Sonya Deville
Police arrested a man named Phillip Thomas back in August 2020 on charges like armed burglary and attempted armed kidnapping after an incident with Sonya Deville, real name Daria Rae Berenato. In 2023, the man was proven guilty on multiple charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The WWE star discussed how the whole thing was kind of a best-case scenario for her because the perpetrator couldn’t have been arrested and put on trial had he not crossed the boundary:
“I think it’s really hard sometimes when…I always say and this is gonna sound weird but I was very fortunate the man did break into my house, did have weapons, did show intent to harm and so he’s locked up and he’s in jail for a long time.
That’s like a best-case scenario in a sense because a lot of people deal with stalking for years and years and if the person doesn’t cross that one boundary, then you can’t put them behind bars or you can’t get a restraining order.
I think that is more terrifying than anything. Just living with that over your head. That’s celebrities and non-celebrities, people dealing with that. So, yeah, I think there’s a lot that could be changed in the future.”
When asked if the incident is something that she still lives with every day, Sonya Deville claimed that she’s secured her life to a place where she can feel comfortable and safe for herself and her family. The wrestling star also advised anyone dealing with such issues to never post their live location online.