Stalking

Defining Stalking

According to many state laws, in order for a behavior to be considered stalking it must be such that it would cause a reasonable person to feel afraid. The victim, therefore, must be able to prove not only that the behavior occurred, but also that it would cause a reasonable person to feel afraid. This latter requirement is often difficult to prove and results in low arrest and prosecution rates.

More recent theoretical definitions have included obsessive intrusions and other unwanted pursuit behaviors. These definitions include harassing behaviors that range from irritating but legal behaviors, such as repeatedly calling or sending letters, to behaviors that meet the criminal definition of stalking, including threats of harm. Stalking and harassment behaviors are placed on a continuum from normal courtship to violent, obsessive behaviors. This harassment typically occurs either when an individual is pursuing a new romantic partner or after the end of a relationship. For this reason, for some, stalking may not be due to a psychiatric disorder, but instead to a skewed perception of what is acceptable behavior.

Studies that use definitions that include obsessive following and harassment find stalking to be even more prevalent than those that use legal definitions. It is estimated that 62% of young adults report being victimized by stalking behaviors after the end of an intimate relationship. Thirteen percent of college women have reported being stalked in the previous month. Other research finds that nearly all young adults (119 of 120 subjects) reported perpetrating at least one unwanted pursuit behavior after experiencing the breakup of a relationship. This indicates that it is likely that the majority of stalking behaviors do not meet the legal definitions.

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