547 women and 76 men sought support for stalking from NHCADSV member crisis programs.
Of those who sought services in 2006, 39% of female victims and 21% of male victims were stalked by current or former intimate partners. Seventy-nine percent of male victims and 58% female victims were stalked by a non-intimate partner.i
Stalking in the U.S.
1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men are stalked annually in the United States.
87% of stalkers are male, 78% of victims are female.ii
Most stalkers know their victims. 59% of female victims are stalked by current or former intimate partners. In about half the cases the stalking behavior begins while the relationship is still intact.iii
There is a strong link between stalking and other forms of violence. Among female stalking victims, 81% were also physically assaulted, and 31% were also sexually assaulted.iv
54% of homicide victims reported stalking to police before they were killed by their stalkers.v
Stalking is a significant risk factor for homicide in abusive relationships. vi
Stalkers with a prior intimate relationship are more likely to verbally intimidate and physically harm their victims than stranger stalkers.vii
A clinical study found that stalkers most often used a telephone as a medium of communication, and nearly half of stalkers sent unsolicited gifts to their victims.viii
One study found restraining orders against stalkers were violated an average of 40% of the time. In almost 21% of cases, the victim perceived that the stalking behavior following the implementation of the order worsened.ix
Impact on Victims
The prevalence of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression is much higher among stalking victims than the general population, especially if the stalking involves being followed or having one’s property destroyed.x
30% of female victims and 20% of male victims sought psychological counseling.xi
56% of women stalked took some type of self protective measure; nearly a fifth relocated.xii
Stalking and Young People
30% of teens say they are text messaged 10, 20, and 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they’re doing, or who they’re with.xiii
Acquaintance and intimate partner stalking is very common on college campuses. One study found that over 80% of campus stalking victims were acquainted with their stalkers.xiv
A survey of undergraduates revealed that 20% had been stalked or harassed by a current or former dating partner, 8% had initiated stalking or harassment and 1% had been both the target and the initiator.xv
Statistics compiled by the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence from the following sources:
i NHCADSV, statistics collected by 14 crisis centers.
ii Tjaden, Patricia and Nancy Thoenees, April 1998. Stalking in America: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey.
iii See ii
iv See ii
v The murder of a woman, MacFarlane et al. (1999). “Stalking and Intimate Partner Femicide,” Homicide Studies.
vi Campbell et al. (2003). “Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results from a Multisite Case Control Study.” American Journal of Public Health 93 (7)
vii Rosenfeld, Barry 2004. “Violence Risk Factors in Stalking and Obsession Harassment.” Criminal Justice Behavior, 31(1)
viii Kinkade, P. Burns, R. Fuentes, A.I. “Criminalizing Attractions: Perceptions of Stalking and the Stalker” Crime and Delinquency, (Jan. 2005)
ix Spitzberg, Brian H. 2002. “The Tactical Topography of Stalking Victimization and Management.” Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 3(4).
x Blauuw Eric, Frans W. Winkel, Ella Arensman, Lorriane Sheridan, and Adrienne Freeve. 2002. “The Toll of Stalking.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17(1).
xi See ii
xii See ii
xiii Technology and Teen Dating Abuse Survey 2007, conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) for Liz Claiborne, Inc.
xiv Fisher B. and Cullen F. (2000) Extent and Nature of the Sexual Victimization of College Women: A National-level Analysis. Rockville, MD: National Criminal Justice Reference Service.
xv Haugaard & Seri. (2004) “Stalking and Other Forms of Intrusive Contact. After the Dissolution of Adolescent Dating or Romantic Relationships.” Violence and Victims 18 (3)