Stalking....

Stalking Victimization in the United States

During a 12-month period, an estimated 3.4 million persons age 18 or older were victims of stalking. Stalking is defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. The Supple- mental Victimization Survey (SVS), which is the basis of this report, was conducted in 2006. The SVS identified seven types of harassing or unwanted behaviors consistent with a course of conduct experienced by stalking victims. 
The survey classified individuals as stalking victims if they responded that they experienced at least one of these behaviors on at least two separate occasions. In addition, the individuals must have feared for their safety or that of a family member as a result of the course of conduct, or have experienced additional threatening behaviors that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.

The SVS measured the following stalking behaviors: 

• making unwanted phone calls
• sending unsolicited or unwanted letters or e-mails 
• following or spying on the victim
• showing up at places without a legitimate reason 
• waiting at places for the victim
• leaving unwanted items, presents, or flowers
• posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth.

While individually these acts may not be criminal, collec- tively and repetitively these behaviors may cause a victim to fear for his or her safety or the safety of a family member. These behaviors constitute stalking for the purposes of this

study. The federal government, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories have enacted laws making stalking a criminal act, although the elements defining the act of stalking differ across states (see box, Stalking laws).

The SVS also identified victims who experienced the behaviors associated with stalking but neither reported feeling fear as a result of such conduct nor experienced actions that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. This report characterizes such individuals as harassment victims. These instances of harassment might eventually have risen to the definitional requirement for stalking. How- ever, at the time of the interview, the offender’s actions and victim’s responses did not rise to the threshold of stalking victimization as measured by the SVS. 

Source:  http://www.victimsofcrime.org/docs/src/baum-k-catalano-s-rand-m-rose-k-2009.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Stalking Laws

• Stalking is a crime under the laws of 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.     Territories, and the Federal government.

• Less than 1/3 of states classify stalking as a felony upon first offense.
  
  
• More than 1/2 of states classify stalking as a felony upon second or subsequent offense or when the crime involves aggravating factors.
  
  
• Aggravating factors may include: possession of a deadly weapon, violation of a court order or condition of probation/parole, victim under 16 years, or same victim as prior occasions.
  
  
  For a compilation of state, tribal, and federal laws visit www.victimsofcrime.org/src. 

Impact of Stalking on Victims

0. 
   
   
1. 46% of stalking victims fear not knowing what will happen next.
   
   
2. 29% of stalking victims fear the stalking will never stop.
   
   
3. 1 in 8 employed stalking victims lose time from work as a
   result of their victimization and more than half lose 5 days of
   work or more.
   
   
4. 1 in 7 stalking victims move as a result of their victimization.
   [Baum et al.]
   
   
5. 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 be- ing followed or having one’s property destroyed.
   
   [Eric Blauuw et al., “The Toll of Stalking,” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, no. 1 (2002):50-63.]
   

Recon Study of Stalkers

      • 2/3 of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week, many
        daily, using more than one method.

• 78% of stalkers use more than one means of approach.
  
  
• Weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in 1 out of 5 cases.
  
  
• Almost 1/3 of stalkers have stalked before.
  
  
• Intimate partner stalkers frequently approach their targets, and
  their behaviors escalate quickly.
  
  [Kris Mohandie et al.,“The RECON Typology of Stalking: Reliability and Validity Based upon a Large Sample of North American Stalkers,” Journal of Forensic Sciences, 51, no. 1 (2006).]
  

Stalking and Intimate Partner Femicide

• 76% of intimate partner femicide victims have been stalked by their intimate partner.
  
  
• 67% had been physically abused by their intimate partner.
  
  
• 89% of femicide victims who had been physically assaulted had
  also been stalked in the 12 months before their murder.
  
  
• 79% of abused femicide victims reported being stalked during the
  same period that they were abused.
  
  
• 54% of femicide victims reported stalking to police before they
  were killed by their stalkers.
  
  [Judith McFarlane et al., “Stalking and Intimate Partner Femicide,” Homicide Studies 3, no. 4 (1999).]