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Psychological partner aggression is the most prevalent form of partner aggression among college students and may precede more physically injurious forms of aggression. Yet, few studies examine potentially malleable protective factors that may reduce psychological partner aggression among college students. Trait mindfulness may indirectly serve as a protective factor against partner aggression by facilitating forgiveness of relationship transgressions. Examining this plausibility carries implications for mitigating psychological partner aggression within this population. Using a cross-sectional sample of 236 (73.7% women) undergraduates, the present study tested the hypothesis that greater trait mindfulness would indirectly associate with less frequent psychological partner aggression perpetration through a greater tendency to forgive. Trait mindfulness had a significant total effect on predicting psychological partner aggression perpetration (β = −.19, p <.01). With the tendency to forgive included in the model, the effect of trait mindfulness was reduced (β = −.14, p <.001). There was a significant indirect effect of the tendency to forgive (β = −.19, standard error =.19; 95% confidence interval: [−.90, −.14]), suggesting that forgiveness partially explained the association between trait mindfulness and psychological partner abuse perpetration. Results suggest that college students who are more mindful are more likely to forgive and, in turn, perpetrate psychological partner aggression less frequently. Findings may inform future clinical inquiry into the utility of mindfulness and forgiveness in reducing psychological partner aggression perpetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood violence victimization is a serious adverse childhood experience with lasting health impacts. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of five forms of childhood violence victimization and their association with revictimization and negative health conditions among adults. Data are from the 2010–2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Age at first victimization and perpetrator sex were assessed; adjusted odds ratios assessed associations with revictimization and health. Ages 14–17 were the most common age at first victimization for most violence types; almost half of male (46.7%) and a quarter of female (27.0%) rape victims reported first victimization before age 10. Most victimization was associated with revictimization and negative health, controlling for adult victimization. Primary prevention of childhood violence may reduce later health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexting coercion (SC) is an emerging manifestation of online sexual violence where perpetrators use threats and manipulation to pressure someone to engage in online sexual behavior (i.e., sexting). Extant research suggests perpetrators of SC may have greater attachment insecurity and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The current study investigated whether cumulative ACEs are indirectly related to increased SC perpetration via forms of attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) among a sample of 584 college students. Path analysis results revealed that controlling for the effects of gender, age, and alcohol use/problems, ACEs were associated with increased attachment anxiety but not attachment avoidance. Additionally, attachment anxiety was associated with increased SC perpetration and fully mediated the relationship between ACEs and SC perpetration. Attachment avoidance was not related to either ACEs or SC perpetration. Results supported prior findings that indicated attachment anxiety stemming from ACEs may drive SC perpetration. Moreover, results suggest that individuals with anxious attachment styles may use technology to sexually coerce others to elicit sexual validation and attention while potentially relieving concerns over abandonment and rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries are unable to offer men and their children a safe place to stay when exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). Denmark is an exception by having implemented a coordinated effort in 2016 of meeting the needs of male victims of IPV and their children. This presents an opportunity for in-depth exploration of the experiences of male victims of IPV. In this study we present a review of men's exposure to IPV in Denmark, the experiences of 58 men who stayed in six crisis centers for men, and present results from a follow-up pilot study working with these men. Men staying in the crisis centers reported having been exposed to psychological, physical, economical, material violence, and stalking perpetrated predominantly by a female partner or ex-partner. In the follow-up, several men reported still being exposed to different types of violence and threats. The men experienced a number of adverse outcomes associated with their experiences but described a positive impact by the combination of help offered at the shelters. This study points to the importance of safe accommodation for male victims of IPV and includes recommendations for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health professionals are at heightened risk of stalking victimization, however minimal research has examined empirically supported risk factors for stalking and the efficacy of risk management strategies. Three hundred and six counselors were surveyed, and the present study focuses on the 7% (n = 23) who had been stalked by clients. Results describe the characteristics of stalking, perpetrators, and victims and the perceived efficacy of management strategies employed. Stalking behaviors tended to be of lower severity. Common perpetrator risk factors included relationship problems, anger, and obsession. Victim vulnerabilities were identified, where many victims engaged in behavior considered ineffective in response to stalking. Victims often encountered problems coping with victimization due to inadequate access to resources. Results indicate that risk management plans must be individualized and highlight ways that mental health professionals can and would like to be protected from stalking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content analysis was used to explore the availability, type, and location of stalking prevention and intervention information posted on publicly available Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) websites. A stratified sample representing 20% of the IHEs in the United States (N = 619) across 12 stratified groups identified significant gaps in the information provided. A fourth of the sites posted no information about stalking of any kind. Of those that do include such information, much is difficult to find and focused on reporting to IHE authorities. Definitions, training, and other victim-focused resources are rarely included. Comparisons based on IHE student population (i.e., size) and residential characteristics (i.e., setting) identified notable variations across IHE classification groups. From these identified differences, recommendations to improve information delivery and accessibility are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the relationship between online and offline stalking through a gendered approach. Experiencing offline stalking victimization was examined as a precursor to online stalking victimization, and experiencing cyberstalking victimization was investigated as a predictor of offline stalking victimization. These relationships also were tested separately for females and males using a sample of college students (N = 3,488) from two large universities-one in the Midwest and one in the South. The results for the full sample indicate that being stalked offline increases students' likelihood of being stalked online. However, being a victim of cyberstalking did not affect students' chances of being stalked offline. In the gender-specific analyses, findings suggest that females who are cyberstalked are less likely to be successively stalked offline, whereas males who are cyberstalked are more likely to be stalked offline. Finally, offline stalking victimization was a significant predictor of online victimization for females, but not males. These findings suggest that offline and online forms of stalking victimization are interrelated under some circumstances, and highlight the importance of the victim's gender in moderating this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking is a form of dating violence that has typically been studied after relationship termination, despite evidence suggesting that stalking often occurs within current dating relationships. Consequently, there is a dearth of research on correlates of stalking perpetration among intact dating relationships. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine correlates of stalking perpetration among college men and women in intact dating relationships (N = 627) in order to identify possible risk factors for stalking perpetration. Using the dating violence literature and theoretical models for intimate partner violence perpetration as a guide, two potential correlates of stalking were examined: emotion regulation and anger management. Results demonstrated that anger management was positively correlated with stalking perpetration in men and women, and emotion regulation was also consistently correlated to stalking perpetration in women. Given that this is the first known study to examine correlates of stalking perpetration behaviors in dating college students, our findings provide a base from which additional investigations can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the scope and nature of how guns are used to threaten (ex)partners particularly during periods of stalking, which often occurs after victims leave their abusers. This study examines survey results from over 500 women from across the United States who contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Specifically, this study (a) describes the prevalence and characteristics of partner abuse victims who were and were not stalked and who were and were not threatened with guns, (b) compares types of gun threats experienced by partner abuse victims who were and were not stalked, (c) examines worries about gun threats for those who were and were not stalked among partner abuse victims not threatened with a gun, and (d) assesses factors associated with advice to obtain a gun for personal safety. This article also provides open-ended comments selected to highlight themes from the quantitative information around participant fears and worries about gun threats and stalking. Findings from this study show one-third of the participants had experienced threats with guns, and one-fifth of those without gun threats worried their (ex)partner would harm them with a gun. Furthermore, there was a significant association between stalking and gun threats, as three-fourth of those who were threatened with a gun reported being stalked. Victims who experienced stalking were also more likely to report their (ex)partner threatened others with guns and were more likely to carry a firearm on their body or in their car, which suggests stalkers who threatened with guns may pose a significant risk to public safety. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the Chicago Women's Health Risk Study (N = 464), this study examined the intersection of stalking and the severity of intimate partner abuse while controlling for previously identified risk factors of intimate partner homicide. Findings indicate that (a) victims of life-threatening abuse by an intimate partner were significantly more likely to experience stalking than victims of nonlethal abuse; (b) after controlling for key risk factors, stalking increased the risk of life-threatening abuse; and (c) threats to kill the victim if she left was the only significant stalking-related behavior that increased the risk for life-threatening abuse. In addition, an offender's prior record and a higher number of previous abusive incidents increased the risk of life-threatening abuse. Implications for prevention and future directions for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between intimate partner abuse (IPA) and postrelationship stalking is poorly understood and estimates of how often these behaviors co- occur vary widely. This article examines and consolidates findings from extant research and provides a rigorously ascertained baseline estimate of the prevalence of IPA among ex-intimate stalkers. One hundred fifteen male participants who stalked 118 separate victims were recruited from a specialist forensic clinic in Melbourne, Australia, between 2004 and 2007 and between 2010 and 2013. Prior IPA was ascertained using information from participants and police records of family violence incidents obtained in July 2014. Prior IPA against the stalking victim was identified in 39 cases (33.1%). Criminal history, prior physical violence to other victims, SCID-II diagnosed personality disorder, and sharing children were significantly associated with IPA during the prior relationship. Multivariate modeling showed that the combination of a history of violence toward other people and sharing children with the victim effectively discriminated between stalkers who did and did not engage in prior IPA (area under the curve = .74, 95% confidence interval of [.64, .83], p = .000). Findings are interpreted in light of existing causal theories of IPA and ex-intimate stalking. Areas for future research to facilitate better understanding of the relationship between these common and damaging forms of violence are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of varying legal definitions across jurisdictions, factors that influence judgments of what constitutes stalking are important to identify. In this study, participants (N = 147) were randomly assigned to read 1 of 4 vignettes involving a hypothetical case of stalking, stemming from a 2 (threat level: explicit vs. implicit) × 2 (victim response: fear vs. anger) between-subjects factorial design. Overall, when the threat was implicit or the victim responded with anger, participants were less inclined to view the scenario as representative of stalking. An interaction further revealed that when the threat was explicit, participants were more likely to rate the perpetrator's behavior as severe when the victim responded with fear, as opposed to anger. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical assault is only one tool in partner abuse characterized by coercive control. Coercive control creates an ongoing state of fear and chronic stress. Explicit threats are an important component of coercive control yet have received limited research attention. This study examined 210 women with protective orders (POs) against abusive (ex)partners and their experiences of explicit threats including threats of harm and death, threats about harming friends and family, and actual threats to friends and family. There are 4 main findings from this study: (a) explicit threats of harm and death, threats about harming others, and actual threats to others are common both in the history of the abusive relationship as well as within 6 months prior to obtaining a PO but are only moderately correlated with each other; (b) the high-frequency threats of harm group had the highest rates of concurrent abuse, violence, distress, and fear; (c) the prevalence and frequency of threats changed over time for all 3 types of threats examined in this study; and (d) understanding the variety of threats partner abuse victims experience, especially threats of third-party harm, may be important in understanding the larger context and consequences of partner abuse. This study is an interim step toward a better understanding of the role of explicit threats in abusive relationships. Future research is needed to examine the prevalence, frequency, trajectory, features, context, and types of explicit threats that victims of partner abuse experience. This information may be especially key to understanding more about future risk of harm, risk of harm to others, victim distress and fear, and safety planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined 2 groups of police officers on perceived barriers and attitudes related to charging stalking. Police officers who categorized into groups based on if they had (n=73) or had not (n=90) previously charged stalking. Results indicated that officers who had never charged stalking viewed stalking as less dangerous, believed that officers do not file reports when called for stalking, and perceived all barriers related to charging stalking as more challenging than officers who had previously charged stalking. Officers who charged stalking had greater comprehension of the stalking statute and identified specific problems within the statute. The results have implications related to improving specialized police training in an effort to better protect victims of stalking and increase stalking charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study discusses post separation stalking and its implications in children's everyday lives. Based on narratives of 13 Finnish children and 20 women, the research fills a gap in the knowledge regarding the psychosocial, emotional, and physical impacts of stalking on children when their mothers are stalked by a former partner. It identifies four forms of impact: (a) an atmosphere of fear and feelings of insecurity; (b) disguised acts of stalking and the father's performance of care, love, and longing; (c) exploitation of children in stalking; and (d) physical abuse, acts of violence, and threats of death. The findings indicate that stalking severely constrains children's everyday lives and strengthens, yet often distorts, the mother-child bond. The study concludes that in cases where mothers are stalked, professionals in the social and health services, law enforcement, and criminal justice should view the children, too, as victims and construct supportive social relationships for women and children facing threatening life situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most stalking literature reports on male stalkers and female victims. This work examines stalking experiences in 4 sex dyads: male stalker-female victim, female stalker-male victim, female-female dyads, and male-male dyads. Respondents were 872 self-defined victims of stalking from the United Kingdom and the United States who completed an anonymous survey. The study variables covered the process of stalking, effects on victims and third parties, and victim responses to stalking. Approximately 10% of comparisons were significant, indicating that sex of victim and stalker is not a highly discriminative factor in stalking cases. Female victims of male stalkers were most likely to suffer physical and psychological consequences. Female victims reported more fear than males did, and most significant differences conformed to sex role stereotypes. Earlier work suggested stalker motivation and prior victim-stalker relationship as important variables in analyses of stalking, but these did not prove significant in this work, perhaps because of sampling differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of sexual assault in the context of intimate partner violence in a sample of women receiving a protection order in South Africa. In all, 268 women (18 years of age and older) consecutively receiving a protection order in the Vhembe District in South Africa were assessed by an external interviewer. Results indicate that from the total sample, 40.7% reported sexual assault, one or more times, during the relationship in the past 3 months; 58.2% reported stalking by the intimate partner; and almost all reported some form of psychological abuse (94.0%), physical violence (93.7%), and danger (99.3%). In all, 37% reported psychological, physical, and sexual violence. In multivariate regression psychological abuse, physical violence and stalking were found to be associated with sexual assault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-report college student surveys on childhood maltreatment, and borderline and narcis-sistic personality features are examined to determine their influence on stalking victim-ization vulnerability. Stalking victimization was measured using Spitzberg and Cupach's (2008) Obsessive Relational Intrusion scale. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were run separately for men (N = 677) and women (N = 1,017). Results indi-cated childhood sexual maltreatment and borderline traits were associated with stalking victimization among both men and women. These were the only significant relationships for men (R² = .10). For women, stalking victimization was also associated with narcis-sistic grandiosity and vulnerability and with a child sexual abuse by borderline features interaction (R² = .13), demonstrating women reporting prior sexual abuse and borderline personality pathology are especially vulnerable. Methodological and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literature analysis shows that nurses are at greater risk of being stalked both by ex-partners and acquaintances (such as colleagues and patients) and by unknown stalkers. The aim of this study was to explore Italian nurses' experience of stalking. A copy of the Italian modified version of the Networking for Surviving Stalking (NSS) Questionnaire on Stalking, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State Trait Inventory (STAI) Y1-Y2 scales were distributed to 2,000 nurses working in 4 Italian state hospitals. There were 765 nurses who returned the questionnaire (38.4%), 107 of whom had been victims (14.0%). On average, victims had been stalked for more than 12 months by an acquaintance (41.1%), whose behavior included unwanted communications, following, control, and threatening behavior. The coping strategies used most involved offensive and interactional tactics. Stalking has both emotional and physical consequences for victims, although depression levels were not as high as we expected (BDI M = 11.05, SD = 8.84; STAI YI M = 42.11, SD = 11.75; STAI Y2 M = 44.04, SD = 12.90). The need to adopt legal, organizational, and individual strategies is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the first antistalking statute was enacted in California in 1990, stalking research has been expanded immensely, yet been largely confined to exploring traditional pursuit tactics. This study instead examined the prevalence and correlates of cyberstalking behaviors while examining the phenomenon in a more inclusive manner than previous studies focusing on cyberstalking by including social networking avenues. In addition to a measure assessing cyberstalking-related behaviors, questionnaires assessing pathological aspects of personality, including attachment style, interpersonal jealousy, interpersonal violence, and anger were also provided to participants. Results indicate that, given preliminary evidence, cyberstalking-related behaviors are related to past measures of traditional stalking and cyberstalking, although prior attachment, jealousy, and violence issues within relationships are significant predictors of cyberstalking-related behaviors. In addition, unexpected gender differences emerged. For example, women admitted greater frequencies of cyberstalking perpetration than males, signaling that further research on frequency and motivation for cyberstalking among the sexes is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking is a crime that can terrify its victims and ultimately take a severe emotional toll. Although a growing body of research has examined stalking experiences and reactions of victims, there has been far less research on whether men and women differ in their perceptions of stalking. Toward this end, a survey of college students at a large public 4-year Midwestern university was undertaken. We examined differences in how men and women view stalking and whether gender differences were moderated by prior stalking experience. Specifically, we examined whether there were gender differences in percep-tions of the pervasiveness of stalking, the harm stalking does, who tends to be stalked, if stalking mainly involves former relational partners, possible motivations for stalking, the line between courtship and stalking, and notions of victim blaming. We found significant differences in stalking views between men and women on all the measures, except for perceptions of the line between courtship and stalking. Women tended to perceive stalking as more pervasive and harmful. Men were more likely to perceive stalking as involving strangers and to blame the victim for the stalking. Female and male respondents also dif-fered in their perceptions of motivations for stalking. Prior victim stalking experience did not moderate the gender differences. Although being a prior stalking victim had a signifi-cant association with 4 of the 7 stalking perception variables, its effect sizes were smaller than that of gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of gender on perceptions of stalking following the breakup of a romantic relationship. Three hundred forty-nine university students were presented with 11 brief scenarios in which the gender of the target and pursuer of the harassment behavior were systematically varied. Participants were asked to rate the degree to which they considered the behavior stalking, how concerned they would be if this was happening to a friend, and the likelihood that they would recommend help seeking. Participants were significantly more likely to express concern for and to recommend both informal and for-mal help seeking when the scenarios described a man stalking a woman. This research is important in understanding factors that influence perceptions of stalking and harassment, which may have repercussions for the legislation and enforcement of stalking laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the extent to which social support mediates negative effects of stalk-ing and obsessive relational intrusion (ORl) victimization. A survey of 1,068 respondents indicated that (a) ORl/stalking victimization is positively related to negative symptoms and trauma; (b) five different types of coping responses are positively related to negative symptoms; (c) four domains of social support reveal small but significant negative relation-ships with negative symptoms; and (d) females are more threatened by unwanted pursuit than male victims, and male pursuers are more threatening than female pursuers. Structural equation modeling indicates that the influence of ORl/stalking on negative symptoms is mediated by the use of coping strategies and the adequacy of social support. Discussion speculates on the functional theoretical value of coping and support processes in managing unwanted pursuit and stalking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that a significant portion of victims of interpersonal violence do not acknowledge or label their experience as a criminal victimization. Studies exploring unacknowledged victimizations have found that individuals are more likely to acknowledge victimization when the experience meets certain, often stereotypical criteria. This study addressed this issue by integrating literature on victim acknowledgment and stalking victimization to identify correlates of victimization acknowledgment among stalking victims. Data were drawn from the 2006 stalking supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), and the sample included both female and male victims of stalking. Findings revealed support for a "classic stalking script," which included a reliance on stereotypical types of stalking behavior (i.e., being spied on) that were shown to increase acknowledgment for victims of stalking. Results also described gender based correlates of victimization acknowledgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from faculty and students provide information on the prevalence of unwanted pursuit and stalking in the student-faculty relationship. Among faculty, 67.8% reported unwanted pursuit. For the most serious case, 6%-11% met criteria for stalking. Among students, 4.1% reported engaging in unwanted pursuit of faculty. Both faculty and students perceived anger (especially for male students) to be the motive for student unwanted pursuit/ stalking, with some endorsement of romantic interest and concern about the role of mental illness. Sex differences suggest female faculty members are more often a target of unwanted pursuit or stalking and more likely to experience fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the literature on stalking has grown, several studies have proposed a relationship between stalking and intimate partner violence (IPV). This study examines a clinical sample of intimate partner batterers to assess the stalking-related behaviors committed against the participants’ intimate partners. The study examined the levels of severity between stalking-related behaviors and IPV, as well as identified differences between batterers who exhibited stalking-related behaviors and those who did not. A significant relationship between stalking-related behavior and IPV was found, with more severe stalking related to higher levels of IPV and more extreme psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking is an obsessive behavior. Legal definitions generally characterize stalking as repetitive conduct. It may therefore be expected that recidivism by stalkers is high. We investigated court statistics of stalking cases to establish which proportion relapses in stalking behavior after a conviction and what other types of new crimes they commit. Case files of stalking cases have been investigated to find out whether and which neutralization techniques are used by stalkers to justify harassing behaviors. Stalkers who do recidivate do so quickly after a conviction. They appear to make use of various neutralization techniques. There is a small group of highly obsessive stalkers that seems not to be stopped by any of the measures, sanctions, or interventions that are imposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies find that childhood exposure to family and community violence is associated with trauma symptoms. Few studies, however, have explored whether community violence exposure (CVE) predicts trauma symptoms after controlling for the effects associated with family violence exposure (FVE). In the current study, CVE and FVE were examined in a sample of 179 youth with a recent history of maltreatment. CVE was associated with trauma symptoms after controlling for FVE, but FVE was not associated with trauma symptoms after controlling for CVE. In addition, negative coping strategies (e.g., self-harm, interpersonal aggression) partially mediated the association between CVE and trauma symptoms. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for interventions aimed at addressing the needs of children exposed to violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the critical events defining the temporal progression of unwanted relationship pursuit. Retrospective interviews elicited the experiences of 42 victims of obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) and its extreme manifestation, stalking. Participants described turning points within their ORI experiences, and constructed graphs representing the progression of turning points over time in terms of changes in perceived severity. Inductive data analysis revealed 17 distinct turning point types. Some turning point types were associated with increases in ORI severity and others were associated with decreases. Five temporal trajectories of ORI progression also were identified. Results indicate that ORI does not necessarily progress along linear and continuous paths. Some findings support coping advice commonly given to victims of ORI and stalking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined stalking prevalence, patterns, and harm among 210 women with civil protective orders (PO) against violent male partners or ex-partners. Results suggest that stalking is associated with PO violations and almost every other type of partner violence. Also, women who have been stalked by violent partners report significantly more distress and harm than even women who experience PO violations but not stalking. Results of key informant perceptions suggest many victim service (n = 116) and criminal justice professionals (n = 72) do not seem to understand the extent or gravity of the harms caused by partner stalking especially when contrasted with victim reports of harm. Furthermore, key informant reports of their advice to women being stalked by an ex-partner were not consistent with recommendations for stalking victims in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined behavioral coping actions and coping strategies in relation to specific contextual factors (e.g., victim-stalker relationship, stalking violence, duration of stalking, and prior victimization) among Finnish university students. Participants completed a stalking survey, also including items concerning coping. Victims of violent stalking threatened the stalker with the use of certain legal actions significantly more compared with victims of nonviolent stalking, but no difference in the actual use of formal help was found. Instead victims of stalking tried to avoid the stalker or turned to friends and family for help. Victim-stalker relationship, stalker violence, and number of stalking episodes had a significant main effect on certain coping strategies (e.g., positive reappraisal, escape- avoidance, and problem-solving), while no interaction effect was found. The findings suggest that knowledge of victim-coping behavior and strategies is crucial for health care and law enforcement professionals when devising appropriate support for victims and developing multidisciplinary approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain professionals, such as health care personnel, have a higher risk of stalking victimization because of their professional activities. This study analyzed the lifetime prevalence of stalking victimization for journalists because they belong to a professional group that often works in public, demonstrates personal attitudes and opinions, and thus may easily become objects for positive or negative transferences. Four hundred and ninety-three journalists answered a standardized Internet questionnaire on stalking victimization. Twelve percent of respondents reported common stalking due to nonprofessional reasons, and an additional 2.2% reported apparently job-related stalking. In contrast to common stalking, job-related stalking victims were mostly male and took the perpetration less seriously, although they had the same risk of suffering violence and aggressive attacks. Since stalking can cause severe psychological distress in victims and some cases are at high risk for aggressive violence, better information for this professional group is necessary. Primary and secondary preventive strategies should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is one of the first to extensively compare characteristics of women who do and do not report stalking by a violent partner or ex-partner using a large sample of women with civil protective orders. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine similarities and differences in relationship and victimization history characteristics, mental health symptoms, help-seeking, and protective order violations for women who report being stalked in the past year (n = 345) by the partner they received a protective order against compared to women who received a protective order against a violent partner but who report no stalking by that partner ever in the relationship (n = 412). Results indicate that women who report partner stalking have more severe partner violence victimization, histories, increased distress, greater fear, and more protective order violations, suggesting that partner stalking victimization warrants more research and practice attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goals of this article are to examine stalking victimization over time among a large sample (n = 662) of women who received a protective order against a violent partner and to examine the impact of stalking on mental health and protective order outcomes. Findings suggest that stalking is a significant risk factor for other forms of partner violence (e.g., psychological, physical, and sexual violence) and that the experience of being stalked by a violent partner contributes uniquely to women's perceptions of psychological distress, personal safety, and perceptions of protective order effectiveness. Both the criminal justice system and victim service representatives need to be vigilant in educating women about the increased risk of stalking to their safety and mental health. Further, study findings suggest that stalking must be addressed to prevent future physical and psychological harm in partner violence cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 292 college students recalled a partner who had engaged in unwanted pursuit (46%) or recalled their most recent "normal" dating relationship. Subjects rated their own level of stalking victimization and rated the partner on a series of personality characteristics and social competence. Unwanted pursuers were perceived as less socially competent, more histrionic, more borderline, and less obsessive-compulsive, with discrimination of "normals" from unwanted pursuers of approximately 75% to 80% accuracy. These attributions also significantly predicted a continuous measure of unwanted pursuit victimization (R = .406). Implications for developing more precise and practical risk profiles of unwanted pursuers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although partner sexual abuse is clearly an important dimension of partner violence, it has received less research attention than partner physical and psychological abuse. This article contributes to the literature by examining similarities and differences in coercive and degrading sexual tactics experienced by women who do (n = 31) and women who do not (n = 31) report forced sex using quantitative and qualitative data. The women in the sample had all been recently (within the past 6 months) stalked by a violent intimate partner. Results suggest that both women who do and women who do not report forced sex experience various coercive and degrading tactics within the context of sexual activity. Results also suggest that multiple sexual abuse dimensions should be considered within the context of partner psychological abuse, physical abuse, and stalking and that more research on understanding the outcomes associated with dimensions of sexual abuse within the context of physical and psychological abuse is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, sheltered battered women (n = 105) self-reported whether they had perpetrated stalking or other unwanted pursuit behaviors (e.g., harassment, threat) during relationship separations from their abuser. Results indicated that sheltered battered women who admitted perpetrating stalking behavior (about 25% of the sample) had more self-blame, depression, and a greater tendency to leave the shelter within the first week (45%) than did battered women who did not report perpetrating stalking behaviors. The majority of battered women who reported perpetrating stalking behavior also reported being victimized by stalking behavior (bidirectional stalking). Although these women reported similarly high levels of fear toward their abuser as did unidirectionally stalked women, bidirectionally stalking women were less likely to perceive that their abuser was using his violence to obtain control over them and were more depressed and self-blaming. Directions for future research. recommendations for shelter staff and the potential treatment implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elder abuse is associated with morbid and lethal outcomes. In some cases of elder abuse, particularly involving domestic violence, uninformed or improperly executed interventions can result in serious harm to the victims. Professionals from various disciplines may themselves be at risk during encounters with perpetrators. This chapter provides an overview of potentially dangerous scenarios of elder abuse such us homicide, homicide/suicide, strangulation, and stalking. Intervention strategies such as lethality assessments and safety planning are described. A case scenario illustrates the value of an interdisciplinary response to enhance victim safety. This chapter reviews potential lethality factors and the steps that can be taken to enhance the safety of victims, their families, and the professionals who serve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although stalking has been increasingly recognized as a serious social problem, surprisingly few studies have investigated perceptions of the specific behaviors that comprise stalking. The focus of this article, therefore, was to further delineate college students' stalking schemas and to examine the influence of gender and personal knowledge of stalking on their schemas. Participants judged whether or not a variety of behaviors were examples of stalking. Behaviors were designed to range from mild, somewhat ambiguous, examples of stalking to more severe examples. Results revealed an interaction between gender and experience on ratings of mild stalking behaviors. Men who had personal knowledge of stalking (by having been stalked themselves or knowing someone who had been stalked) were significantly more likely to rate mild stalking behaviors as stalking than men who had no experience. In contrast, experience did not affect women's perceptions of mild stalking, as no differences were found between women as a function of experience. Results are discussed in terms of overall relationship schemas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that partner stalking is associated with reassault and lethality as well as increased psychological distress for victims. However, there is a significant gap in information about stalking interventions and the responses of health, mental health, law enforcement, social services, and criminal justice professionals to women experiencing partner stalking. The purpose of this study is to examine the ideas about appropriate and effective responses to stalking victims from professionals in victim services and the justice system. The study also examined differences among rural and urban representatives because prior studies have shown significant differences between rural and urban areas on experiences and responses to partner violence. A total of 152 key informants (38 urban and 114 rural) were interviewed. Study results suggest a need for more training for victim services and justice system professionals on stalking and service needs of women who experience stalking in the context of partner violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) of women and men to estimate noncohabitating dating violence prevalence by type (physical, forced sex, and stalking), associations between dating violence and other types of interpersonal violence across the lifespan, and association of dating violence with longer-term mental health including substance abuse. Among respondents aged 18 to 65, 8.3% of 6,790 women and 2.4% of 7,122 men experienced physical aggression, forced sex, or stalking victimization by a dating partner. Few (20.6% of women and 9.7% of men) reported more than one type of dating violence. Childhood physical aggression by a parent or guardian was strongly associated with subsequent dating violence risk for men and women. Dating violence (physical aggression specifically) was associated with current depressive symptoms, current therapeutic drug use (antidepressants, tranquilizers, or pain medications), and current recreation drug use for women. Implications for parents, survivors, health care, and service providers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social science research has recently begun to focus on stalking and other forms of intrusive contact occurring among adolescents and young adults. This article presents results from a survey of 681 undergraduates about their experiences with stalking or other forms of intrusive contact occurring after the end of a dating or romantic relationship. Twenty percent of the respondents had been the target of intrusive contact, 8% had initiated intrusive contact, and 1% had been the target of intrusive contact after one relationship and had initiated intrusive contact after another. More females than males were the target of intrusive contact; however, there were no sex differences associated with initiating intrusive contact. About 20% of the respondents had feared for their safety during the intrusive contact. Thirty-one percent of the respondents described the intrusive contact as having a decidedly negative influence on either their subsequent dating relationships or their lives in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to refine and elaborate models of personality and relationship-specific characteristics in the perpetration of stalking and psychological abuse. Three hundred and forty-two college students who had been in intimate relationships completed a series of questionnaires about their most recent breakup and their former relationship. Our hypotheses were supported, with harsh parental discipline, anxious attachment, and need for control of one's partner forming a common cluster in the prediction of stalking and psychological abuse. For psychological abuse, relationship dissatisfaction added to the predictive factors; whereas for stalking, the level of anger-jealousy over the breakup was the major added factor. Degree of anger-jealousy was influenced by being the recipient of a breakup and the level of passion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings of the article in this two-volume series on stalking are reviewed. Building on the findings of the National Violence Against Women Survey (Tjaden & Thoennes, 1998), this series of studies adds to the literature in defining and measuring stalking behaviors. Repeated stalking victimization is reported by up to 62% of young adults, although frequencies depend on the sample and the precise definition used. Self-definitions of stalking victimization may be quite different from legal definitions. Although the majority of legally defined stalkers (where victim fear is a key component) are men stalking women, studies utilizing other definitions find many more women as stalkers, with no significant gender differences in many studies. In many cases, it does appear that stalking is one part of a larger pattern of relationship physical and psychological abuse. Data on emotional reactions and coping strategies of victims are also reviewed, along with findings on characteristics of stalkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking has been relatively understudied compared to other dimensions of intimate partner violence. The purpose of this article was to examine concurrent and subsequent intimate partner abuse, strategic responses and symptomatic consequences of severe stalking experienced by battered women. Thirty-five battered women classified as "relentlessly stalked" and 31 infrequently stalked battered women were compared. Compared to infrequently stalked battered women, relentlessly stalked battered women reported: (a) more severe concurrent physical violence, sexual assault and emotional abuse: (b) increased post-separation assault and stalking; (c) increased rates of depression and PTSD; and (d) more extensive use of strategic responses to abuse. Results underscore the scope and magnitude of stalking faced by battered women and have implications for assessment and intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of 1,785 domestic violence crime reports generated by the Colorado Springs Police Department found that 1 in 6 (16.5 percent) contained evidence the suspect stalked the victim. Female victims were significantly more likely than male victims to allege stalking by their partners (18.3 vs. 10.5 percent). Most stalkers were former rather than current intimates. Regardless of victims' gender, reports with stalking allegations were significantly less likely to mention physical abuse or victim injury in the presenting condition, to involve households with children, or to involve victims and suspects who were using alcohol at the time of the report. Female victims who alleged stalking by their partner were significantly less likely than female victims who did not allege stalking to be emotionally distraught at the time of the report, but significantly more likely to have an active restraining order against the suspect, and to sign releases to facilitate the police investigation. Police almost never charged domestic violence stalking suspects with stalking, preferring instead to charge them with harassment or violation of a restraining order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies of the correlates of self-reported courtship persistence, stalking-like behaviors following a relationship break-up, and psychological maltreatment of partners were conducted in samples of male (N = 46 and 93) and female (N = 123 and 110) college students. Approximately 40% (38.5% and 44.6%) engaged in at least one stalking behavior following a break-up. A total of 10.7% (study 1) and 7.6% (study 2) engaged in 6 or more stalking behaviors. Stalking was significantly related to psychological maltreatment of the partner (PMP) prior to the break-up. Being the recipient of the break- up was associated with feelings of anger, jealousy and obsessiveness and with higher levels of courtship persistence, and stalking. A replicated path model showed that anxious attachment and need for control were related to PMP and that need for control had a direct contribution to stalking. For anxious attachment, its connection to stalking was indirect, mediated by the degree of anger-jealousy over the break-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article empirically studies the phenomenon of stalking and its victims by utilizing a random sample of college students at a large public University. The study found that 25% of the women and 11% of the men had been stalked at some point in their lives and that six percent were currently being stalked. Additionally, the study found that the majority of stalking victims are women who are stalked by male offenders. The sample reported being stalked for an average of 347 days and having engaged in a variety of actions in response. A substantial number of victims reported being threatened by their stalkers. This threat was associated with higher levels of fear among the victims and a greater chance of physical attack by the stalkers, particularly for the female victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates current research and theory on stalking as a form of male violence against women. The integrative contextual developmental model (White & Kowalski, 1998) suggests that stalking, as legally defined, is best understood as a multiply determined form of violence, with variables identifiable at several levels, the sociocultural, interpersonal, dyadic, situational and intrapersonal. The model also serves as a framework for identifying gaps in current research and suggests directions for further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a limited but growing literature which suggests that stalking is a variant of intimate violence. The purpose of this study was to examine physical, psychological, and stalking victimization and perpetration among males and females. Alcohol use was also examined. The sample was 46 male and 84 female undergraduate students who reported stalking victimization and perpetration after a difficult breakup, and psychological and physical victimization and perpetration during that specific relationship. Overall, 27% of the sample study was classified into the stalking victimization group, which is consistent with other stalking prevalence rates among college samples. For females, stalking victimization was significantly associated with physical and psychological abuse victimization. For males, stalking victimization was significantly associated with psychological abuse victimization. However, there was also a strong significant reciprocal relationship of stalking and psychological abuse victimization and perpetration, especially for males. Also, alcohol use was significantly associated with victimization and perpetration of stalking and psychological abuse for males. The data from this study contribute to the hypothesis that stalking is a variant of or extension of intimate violence, especially for females. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]