Stalking



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Stalking

Stalking is a complex behavior and is not easily studied. Stalking can generally be described as a pattern of unwanted contacts and harassing behaviors directed at a specific person that can induce fear and distress. Because the meaning of the stalking behaviors is often contextual and subjective (usually these behaviors have special significance known only to the offender and victim), objectively measuring these behaviors is difficult. Attaining reliable and consistent data on the prevalence and incidence of stalking is challenging because inconsistent measures are used to identify stalking behavior. Despite this difficulty, research on stalking has illuminated much of the complexity, nature, and extent of the crime. This entry outlines the important areas of focus in stalking research, several methodologies used, some challenges associated with studying stalking, and recommendations for the future (Davis, 2002).

Researchers have attempted to identify the frequency of stalking, the behaviors and characteristics of stalkers, the impact of stalking behaviors on victims, victim responses, actions taken by criminal justice and mental health systems, and correlation of stalking with other crimes. Stalking research methodologies vary, but it has been studied through epidemiological analysis, general surveys, case studies of forensic samples of stalkers, and self-reports of stalking victims. Although most stalking research is completed with sample populations of victims or offenders involved with the criminal and civil justice systems, several epidemiological reports have stimulated researchers to look at non-forensic populations of stalkers, such as university and college students (Dunn, 2002).

Philosophy

The early stages of understanding behavioral phenomena often begin with attempts to identify types of individuals engaging in such behavior. When the first antistalking laws were passed in the early 1990s, efforts were undertaken to identify types of stalkers. The resulting typologies represent ways of theorizing about the nature of stalkers and the ways in which stalking cases can be managed and prevented. At least 25 typologies of stalkers have been reported but many have been highly speculative. Only a few have received substantive empirical investigation, and fewer still have received replication.

Typologies can be constructed along any number or content of dimensions. Such dimensions tend to represent either theoretically deduced features or empirically induced features. Some stalker typologies are simple, and others are complex. Typologies are considered simple if they have a single list of primary types and complex if they are hierarchically organized, or have two or more levels or axes of classification (Mullen, 2006).

When typological systems are arrayed cross sectionally by underlying or classificatory dimension, four primary sets of characteristics emerge: type of disorder (e.g., physiological or psychological), type of relationship or context in which the parties involved began or continue contact, type of primary motivation (e.g., love or revenge), and type of behavior (e.g., harassing or violent). Some of these sets of characteristics translate into actual dimensions. For example, some typologies classify stalkers along ordinal continua that range from delusional to nondelusional, nonviolent to violent, or type of relationship (e.g., stranger to romantically involved). Other subtypes of stalkers in existing typologies focus on features ...