Stalking: Recognizing and Responding to the Problem

Stalking: Recognizing and Responding to the Problem

Until recently, the media usually only spotlighted stalking cases that involved high-profile entertainers and athletes. But stalking is not limited to the rich and famous. In reality, the majority of stalking victims are ordinary people.

According to the National Institute of Justice, “Any person who engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that places that person, or her family, in reasonable fear for their safety, is guilty of the crime of stalking.”

Prevalence and characteristics of stalking

- Experts estimate that more than 1 million women and nearly 500,000 men are stalked in the United States each year.
-Nearly one in 12 women and one in 45 men are stalked at least once in their lifetime.
- Seventy-eight percent of victims are women, and eighty-seven percent of offenders are men.
- Approximately 60 percent of female victims and 30 percent of male victims are stalked by current or former partners.
- It is estimated that 25 percent to 35 percent of stalking cases involve violence.
- Thirty-one percent of women stalked by a current or former partner have been sexually assaulted by that person.

Characteristics of the stalker

Stalkers come from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite their demographic diversity, data shows that some characteristics are more common among stalkers than others:

- 87 percent are male
- 80 percent are white
- 50 percent are between the ages of 18 and 35
- most are of above-average intelligence
- most earn above-average incomes
- most suffer from a personality or mental disorder

Warning signs

There are several signs of stalking behavior, including:

- Persistent phone calls and contact despite being told not to contact in any form
- Sending the victim cards or gifts
- Disclosing to the victim personal information the offender has uncovered about him or her
- Disseminating personal information about the victim to others
- Monitoring the victim's Internet history and computer usage
- Waiting at the victim’s workplace or in her neighborhood
- Verbal or physical threats
- Sending messages: telephone messages, letters, e-mails, graffiti
- Sending romantic gifts as well as bizarre and frightening items

A list of behaviors is not always sufficient to determine whether one is being stalked, so trust your gut. If you feel a bit “creepy” about a gift or encounter, delve into what is making you feel that way. Remember: Real love never makes you feel creepy.

Three common types of stalkers

1. Simple obsessional. This is the most common type. The stalker is usually a male, and the victim an ex-spouse, ex-lover or former boss. This type of stalking usually results from the stalker's perceptions that the victim has mistreated him or her.

2. Love obsessional. The stalker is a casual acquaintance or even a stranger to the victim. This type often stalks a celebrity or public figure. The love-obsessed stalker begins to organize his life around harassment, to be noticed by the victim and make her aware of his existence.

3. Erotomania. This type falsely believes that the object of his obsession is secretly in love with him. He wrongly assumes that someone—usually a wife or lover—is keeping them from being together. The victims are commonly rich or famous or perceived as powerful.

What to do if you are being stalked

There is no easy answer to the nightmare of stalking. Most law enforcement agencies have antistalking personnel who are specially trained to help victims. The U.S. Department of Justice recommends the following preventive measures for anyone who feels threatened by a stalker:

- Install dead bolts or change locks.
- Install adequate outside lighting.
- Maintain an unlisted telephone number. If harassing phone calls persist, notify law enforcement.
- Treat any threats as legitimate and inform law enforcement.
- Vary travel routes and refrain from walking when possible.
- Inform a trusted neighbor or friend about the situation.
- If necessary, provide friends or neighbors with a photo or description of the individual and vehicles he may drive.
- If residing in an apartment with an on-site manager, provide the manager with a picture or description of the stalker.
- Have co-workers screen calls and visitors.
- When out, stay in public areas and try not to travel alone.
- Have quick access to critical telephone numbers and locations of law enforcement agencies.
- Have a plan to stay with friends when danger is perceived.

Remember that stalking is a crime and there is help available.