Stalking

Question 1

Define stalking

Answer 1

• Made up of a serious of behaviours that causes the victim to fee harassed, whether this is the intended outcome or not
• Subjective, depends on how the victim perceives the behaviour
• Term can be applied to almost any behaviour providing the victim feels distressed
• Key feature is the behaviour being repetitive and persistent (must be present in order to press charges)
• Many of the behaviour aren’t illegal alone (they are made so due to the persistence)

Question 2

Common stalking behaviours

Answer 2

• Leaving unwanted gifts
• Following
• Loitering around home/workplace
• Unwanted contact
• Threatening
• Having a ‘shrine’ of the victim
• Unexpected visits
• Breaking an entering home
• Taking photographs unknowingly
• Spreading rumours

Question 3

What are the 4 sub-clusters of stalking

Answer 3

1. ‘Classic stalking’ e.g. following, spying
2. ‘Threatening’ e.g. sending death threats, confounding victim
3. ‘Unpredictive’ e.g. acting in an unexpected manner, acting threatening when seeing victim out with another man/woman
4. ‘Attachment’ e.g. loitering, staying close to victim

Question 4

Reporting stalking

Answer 4

• Often under reported; police stats do not give an accurate measure and crime survey is more accurate
• Around 3% of men and 15% of women reported IPB in last 12 months in crime survey
• Approx 35% of victims know their stalker
• Men often do not feel threatened/in danger so do not recognise the behaviour as stalking (despite male and female victims being similar in terms of duration and level of violence)
• When males were asked to define stalking, prevalence rates tripled when compared to women

Question 5

Describe De Clarmbault’s syndrome

Answer 5

• Delusion that they have a relationship with someone they have little to no contact with
• Believe the vicim reciprocates their feelings
• Previously believed most sufferers were female, now believed to be mainly male
• Spitzberg (2002) found that 75% of victims were female and 79% of sufferers were male
• Erotomania = a delusion where stalker becomes obsessed with the victim and believes they love them back (if the victim is aware they will find this obsessive and unwanted)
• Considered a delusion disorder in DSM5
• To be diagnosed the delusions must have been present for at least one month and have no signs of any other psychiatric disorder

Question 6

What are the stalking risk factors

Answer 6

• Aged between 18-30
• Victims tend to be higher socio-economic status than the stalker (see themselves as higher than they are as they don’t consider themselves to be a criminal
• Victims often have high education and a professional career
• Many victims are stalked by ex-partners (esp. if relationship involved IPV)

Question 7

How does each type of stalker react to intervention

Answer 7

• Infatuation harassers will usually stop on their own after a while
• Sadistic stalkers will see it as a challenge and worsen their behaviour
• Predatory stalkers will pose as a great challenge for practitioners
• Incompetent suitors will stop after receiving counselling (although can later reoffend with a different victim)

Question 8

Describe treatment for stalking

Answer 8

• Legal interference may not be best option
• Psychotherapeutic counselling has been found to be effective
• No treatment specifically for stalking so often focuses on underlying issues
• Stalkers respond better to treatment when it is used as a preventive measure rather than rehabilitation
• McEwan, Mullen and Mackenzie (2009) studied 200 stalker in treatment
• Found 25% persistence in behaviour; continued behaviour for 12+ months, weren’t deterred by police
• Persistent stalkers were often aged 30+, seeks intimacy/resentment, had symptoms of psychosis, sent victims items through post, victim was someone they personally knew
• Scott et al (2014) found that ex-partner stalkers were more violent and persistent
• These stalkers were most common
• Were often violent during the relationship
• Less likely to be arrested than those who stalk strangers

Question 9

Psychopathy and stalking

Answer 9

• Rarely stalkers
• Usually stalk strangers
• High levels of reoffending
• Evidence of secondary victimisation in 20% of cases

Question 10

Impact of stalking on victim

Answer 10

• Anxiety/depression
• Change jobs
• Move house
• PTSD
• Lose friends
• Change lifestyle
• Insomnia

Question 11

What are the 5 types of stalker

Answer 11

Described by Mullen et al (2000)

1. Rejected stalker
   - Most common
   - Stalk ex-partners
   - Stalks out of revenge
   - Deny end of relationship
   - Violence is easily provoked
   - Poor social skills
   - Interpersonal inadequacy
   - Responsive to SSRIs and CBT
2. Incompetent suitors
   - Deficient in interpersonal skills
   - Vary from socially isolated too arrogant/overly confident
   - Serial stalkers; often stop behaviour then move on to a new victim
3. Intimacy seekers
   - One-sided relationship with stranger
   - Solitary, lonely, devoid of intimacy
   - Eromanic delusions
   - Usually stop behaviour with treatment
4. Resentful stalkers
   - Deliberately frighten victim
   - Exerts power and control by sending offensive material to victim
   - May involve victim’s friends/family
   - Believe victim has failed them in someway so seeks revenge
   - Sees themselves as victim rather than perp
   - Resentful of authority
5. Predatory stalkers
   - Most dangerous
   - Most uncommon
   - Attacks/murders without warning
   - Driven by power and control
   - Lack sexual skills, confidence, experience