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The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. COVID-19 pandemic lockdown changed the way in which we engage with others and our ability to enjoy free movement away from the confinement of our own homes. Whilst this dramatic change affected everyone, it constituted something much more threatening for victims of stalking, repeatedly targeted by those with an obsessive and fixated behaviour. Whilst we know more about the impact of lockdown stalking behaviour, very little is known about how the police and frontline workers are responding to this challenge. This research aims to increase an understanding of stalking in this context. Firstly, it presents a quantitative examination of recorded data on stalking offences provided by all 43 police forces across England and Wales. In addition, it explores the experiences of those working on the frontline who respond to reports of stalking made by victims. A total of 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with twelve police officers from three forces in England, as well as three advocates of victims from two national stalking services. Analyses show that stalking behaviour has increased and evolved to use accessible channels alongside the COVID restrictions. In conclusion, considerable pressure has been placed on frontline workers to adapt and respond not only to increased incidents but also the changes in the nature of stalking behaviour.

Domestic homicide is the most extreme form of domestic violence. These deaths often appear to be predictable and preventable with hindsight, based on information from various death review process across the world. Prior research has identified citizenship status, length of stay, trauma and stress in the migration context as contributors to domestic violence. However, these factors have not been explored within the context of domestic homicide and the present study examined these factors among immigrant perpetrators.A retrospective case analysis approach was performed using domestic homicide cases that had been reviewed by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee in Ontario, Canada. Perpetrators with a history of pre-migration trauma had significantly more identified risk factors for domestic homicide. Additionally, they were more likely to engage in stalking behaviours and have more identified post-migration stressors. However, the number of agencies involved did not significantly differ between perpetrators with or without a history of pre-migration trauma. Pre-migration trauma is a critical factor in understanding the risk profiles of immigrant perpetrators. Standardized risk assessment tools generally do not screen for pre-migration trauma and it may be overlooked by professionals when evaluating risk of homicide or when engaging in risk management strategies. It is imperative that professionals are more aware of the relationship between migration trauma and domestic violence perpetration and there is continued research and development of specialized risk assessment tools to aid in domestic homicide prevention initiatives.

The objective of the current paper was to identify moderating factors of a bystander-focused violence prevention program for adolescents, Bringing in the Bystander—High School Curriculum. Participants were 2,403 high school students from 25 schools in northern New England (M age = 15.8 years; 50.9% female; 85.1% White, 84.5% heterosexual) who participated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. We examined impact among different social groups (i.e., by race, gender, age, poverty, sexual orientation) using moderation analyses. The intervention effects for the past 12-month sexual harassment and stalking perpetration were stronger for younger participants and heterosexual participants; poverty, race, and gender did not moderate any program effects. Findings indicate that future prevention research should consider additional targets for older adolescents that may improve intervention program efficacy. An urgent need exists for interventions that are effective for sexual minority adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Escalation Workshop with a sample of US Navy sailors. Escalation is a one-session workshop designed to promote bystander behavior related to dating abuse. We conducted a two-arm RCT with follow-up at 4 and 8 months. Participants were 335 Navy sailors, recruited from two comparable ships based in the USA. The unit of randomization was the ship. The primary outcomes were as follows: (a) attitudes related to intervening as a bystander in dating abuse situations, (b) injunctive norms about dating abuse, (c) dating abuse-related prevention-oriented behaviors (e.g., such as posting dating violence prevention messages online), and (d) bystander behaviors including acting as a bystander to prevent peer self-harm, peer bullying, peer intoxication, or peer dating abuse, or being a proactive bystander and initiating conversations about dating abuse prevention with friends and others. Hierarchal linear models (HLMs) indicated that, compared to participants in the control group, participants in the intervention group demonstrated improvement in attitudes [β = .09, p

Stalking is commonly perceived as a gendered crime, predominantly affecting women as victims. However, males can also be victims of this crime. Research has found that men may experience different types of behaviours and their coping and help-seeking may be unique due to individual, interpersonal, sociocultural factors and traditional gender stereotypes that shape perceptions about the seriousness of the crime and whether and/or where victims seek help. Nevertheless, no research has linked these findings to male victims of stalking. Therefore, the present study used a subsample of Portuguese men (n = 76), with a mean age of 40.49 (DP = 18.14), who self-identified as victims of stalking. The objectives were to analyse their experiences of victimization, namely behaviours, dynamics, impact and help-seeking. Moreover, another major goal of the current study was to develop a model to predict the circumstances under which male victims of stalking seek help. Results revealed that when male stalking victims search for help, it is more likely they are dealing with a higher diversity of stalking behaviours and experiencing a greater negative impact on their lives. These findings have important implications for practitioners and underlines macro-level social recommendations for raising awareness about this underreported phenomenon.

Widely referred to as either “revenge porn” or “nonconsensual sharing of sexual imagery,” image-based sexual abuse targets millions of people around the world and causes much harm. This article covers the current state of social scientific knowledge on this key variant of digitized sexual violence and suggests new directions in empirical work. A rapidly growing body of research shows that image-based sexual abuse is committed mainly by men against women and it often co-occurs with offline forms of male-to-female assaults like rape, stalking, and beatings. Additionally, to further understand the scope of factors that contribute to the problems of online image-based sexual abuse online, researchers should examine the relationship between image-based sexual abuse and pornography consumption. Future studies should be specially designed to test theories that prioritize the concepts of gender, power, control, and patriarchy. Further, despite the creation of new legislation aimed at curbing image-based sexual abuse, the criminal justice system’s response has, thus far, been woefully inadequate. Hence, additional means of prevention and control are necessary. A multidisciplinary approach may involve mental health and sexual wellness awareness campaigns that include ethical behaviors in a digital space. Also, clinical assessment and treatment may be part of creating long-term changes at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels with psychosexual education that investigates core beliefs and harmful operating systems that facilitate image-based sexual abuse. Moreover, testing and providing empirically validated treatments for those who experienced sexual trauma and those who perpetrated and consumed digitized sexual abuse are warranted.

Evidence suggests that in the United States we live in a stalking culture— a culture in which stalking is normalized, minimized, and romanticized through various cultural institutions. We also live in an era when romantic interactions and dating are increasingly taking place online. Bringing together these ideas, the present study examines perceptions of lay observers of the cyberstalking of women with a focus on gender and stalking context. Drawing on data from an original vignette study via an Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) survey (n = 727), we examine whether (a) observer’s gender, (b) four types of stalking contexts (ex-boyfriend, coworker, one-time date, and stranger), and (c) individual differences in observers’ attitudes regarding gender and sexuality beliefs (sexual double standards, benevolent sexism, and hostile sexism) impact lay perceptions of cyberstalking. We found that compared to men, women are more likely to label cyberstalking and to deem cyberstalking as less socially acceptable. Compared to the stranger stalking scenario, participants were less likely to label the other three scenarios as stalking; additionally, participants rated ex-boyfriend stalking, relative to stranger stalking, as more acceptable. We also found that attitudinal measures predict higher acceptability ratings across stalking contexts, and hostile sexist beliefs mediate the relationship between observers’ gender and likelihood of labeling the situation as stalking. Our results suggest that the minimization and normalization of cyberstalking may be driven not only by one’s gender, but also by a culturally accepted hierarchy of stalking narratives as well as gender attitudes.

Campus interpersonal violence - defined as sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, and stalking - is a social problem that has received widespread attention due to its high prevalence and devastating consequences, especially for students facing multiple forms of minoritization. Research on campus interpersonal violence prioritizes certain types of institutions; violence; victims, perpetrators, and bystanders; and intervention goals. This prioritization fails to challenge underlying systems of oppression and makes invisible minoritized students who are most affected by campus interpersonal violence. Historically, there has been an emphasis on acquaintance sexual assault against White heterosexual women at residential four-year predominantly White institutions. Far less studied are other types of violence and harm; violence experienced by gender and sexual minorities, and students of color; and students in online or commuter programs. In this commentary, we propose centering minoritized students to better situate campus interpersonal violence research within broader systems of oppression. We describe challenges to centering minoritized students in researching the problem, prevalence, and risk, as well as prevention and response interventions. We also provide recommendations for overcoming these barriers.

The overall goals of this study were to explore factors associated with stalking assault and factors associated with stalking-related fear among those who were, and who were not, assaulted by victim gender. Men (n = 254) and women (n = 560) stalking victims were recruited through a crowdsourcing website and surveyed about their stalking experiences. Overall, one-third of stalking victims were assaulted. However, almost half of women were assaulted by (ex)partner stalkers compared to about one-quarter of women stalked by acquaintances or strangers. Additionally, about one-third of men were assaulted regardless of their relationship to the stalker. Three main findings are discussed including: (1) stalking assault rates and stalking-related fear levels differ by victim gender which may be, in part, because more women are stalked by males and by (ex)partners; (2) prior violence to the victim, threats, and frequency of confrontation were associated with stalking assault regardless of victim gender; and (3) among those not assaulted, threats and the stalker not caring about severe consequences was associated with stalking-related fear regardless of victim gender, but other factors associated with stalking-related fear differed by victim gender and assault experience. Arrest and increased concern for victim safety by professionals often hinges on physical violence and victim injury. However, educating professionals who work with stalking victims about the factors associated with assault, as well as the full range of harms and risks beyond assault, is crucial to supporting victims and holding stalkers accountable for the crime of stalking.

Popular romantic fiction dating back to the 1700s often portrays a submissive/virginal female character and an aggressive/beastly male character. This binary portrayal of heterosexual relationships is problematic because it presents a power imbalance within the couple as essential for romance. Although several scholars have described this phenomenon, it has yet to be named and applied to violence prevention work. In response, the purpose of this study is to develop the term “virgin-beast trope” to capture this relationship dynamic and situate this concept within the larger body of relationship violence research. We use three of the most popular romantic fiction films (Beauty and the Beast, Twilight, and Fifty Shades of Grey) to illustrate the virgin-beast trope and demonstrate its continuity from childhood to adulthood. We then use the Abuse Litmus Test to identify examples of relationship abuse embedded within the virgin-beast trope as evidenced in these films. Although unhealthy features of these three relationships are often masked in romanticization, the inherent disproportional power dynamic of the virgin-beast trope results in the male partners using their ‘beastly power’ through threats, intimidation, isolation, and stalking to control the subordinate and virginal female partner. In response, the female partners try to ‘tame the beast’, but ultimately suffer harm as a result. The prominent virgin-beast trope across romantic fiction could be added to existing media literacy education to support more engaging conversations that address relationship violence prevention across developmental stages.

This article introduces a special issue on intimate partner stalking (IPS) focused on the current state of research, practice, and policy on IPS. Articles were solicited for inclusion in this special issue throughout 2018 and underwent multiple rounds of peer review. Nine articles were selected for inclusion in this special issue focusing on innovative research methods and analyses related to IPS and identification of current gaps in research and practice. Practitioner perspectives are also offered across multiple articles. There continues to be a dearth of rigorous research on IPS and this special issue highlights emerging research and recommendations for continued research. Policy and practice implications are discussed throughout with a focus on supporting survivors and holding offenders accountable.

Informed by the perspectives of two practitioners with over ten years of experience addressing stalking issues and a researcher from the field of violence against women, this paper will highlight the trajectory of the United States’ response to intimate partner stalking by first discussing advancements that have been made in stalking laws. This will be followed by the practical challenges that law enforcement and service providers continue to face when encountering this crime, despite this progress. There are four major challenges to addressing intimate partner stalking: a) stalking remains a very misunderstood crime; b) building stalking cases proves challenging; c) service providers may lack the knowledge and/or resources needed to respond to stalking victims effectively; and d) research on stalking is limited. The manuscript concludes with practical recommendations for addressing some of these challenges.

Cyberbullying has been defined as the “process of using the internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.” The word “cyberbullying” is often used interchangeably with “cyber stalking” and in fact the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 of Nigeria, uses the word “cyber stalking” which it defines as any course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. By the provisions of the Act, the transmission of any communication through the means of a computer to bully, threaten or harass another person where such communication places another person in fear of death, violence or bodily harm amounts to cyber stalking. Cyberbullying is becoming a common phenomenon in Nigeria as more people engage in it especially on social media platforms. This is carried out in various ways and a common trend is posting indecent imagery of persons online such as naked pictures or videos of persons in order to humiliate them. When posted by a person, the communication is shared by others thereby causing circulation on social media. This act amounts to cyber stalking where the intention consists of those elements stated under the Cybercrimes Act. In other situations where it is shared without the aim of humiliating the victim, such act can still be incriminated under some other laws in Nigeria such as the Criminal Code Act and the Penal Code Act which for instance both criminalise obscene publications. It is worthy of note there have been reported cases where victims of cyberbullying have committed suicide as a result of fear or shame. A major observation is that cyberbullying has gained normalcy and many internet users engaged in it do not seem to be aware of the criminal connotation of their actions. This paper examines the effectiveness of legal responses to cyberbullying in Nigeria. It discusses the forms of cyberbullying commonly perpetrated in Nigeria by citing some real life instances that have happened in the past. The paper notes that most forms of cyberbullying can be prosecuted under the Cybercrimes Act, however, there has not been any notable enforcement of the law in terms of prosecution of cyberbullying cases. It appears that the lack of prosecution of offenders has fostered the act of cyberbullying especially under the present circumstances where there is widespread ignorance among internet users. The paper also notes that the absence of image rights is a precursor in many respects to some forms of cyberbullying especially when photographs and videos of victims are involved. The paper advocates the implementation and enforcement of the Cybercrimes Act as well as other laws relating to cyberbullying in Nigeria. The paper also posits that the protection of image rights will go a long way to assist in curbing the act of cyberbullying in Nigeria.

Stalking cases have long presented challenges for the criminal justice system. The end result has been low conviction rates for stalking offenses and frustration for stalking victims. To date, little is known regarding the perspectives of criminal justice and community advocacy agencies in working with stalking perpetrators and victims and how these could inform practice and future research. We conducted interviews with individuals in the different agencies involved in the Cuyahoga County, Ohio criminal justice system and well as the victim service organizations that work with stalking victims in the county. We collected information about their perceptions of stalking victims, what obstacles exist to addressing their needs, what changes are needed to increase the charging and prosecution rates for stalking cases, and how different system players draw distinctions between stalking and domestic violence offenders. Key findings include the significant discrepancy perceived between the public’s view of stalking and actual stalking behavior, the varied views of what constitutes a typical stalking victim, the wide range of needs of stalking victims, the challenges to charging and prosecuting stalking cases, and the burden placed on victims in these cases. We conclude by discussing obstacles that exist for victims seeking help from the criminal justice system for stalking behavior and provide suggestions for education and training that could lead to more effective stalking policy and practice. The study concludes with recommendations for future research on stalking.

Research suggests that stalking inflicts great psychological and financial costs on victims. Yet costs of victimisation are notoriously difficult to estimate and include as intangible costs in cost–benefit analysis. This study reports an innovative cost–benefit analysis that used focus groups with multi-agency teams to collect detailed data on operational resources used to manage stalking cases. This method is illustrated through the presentation of one case study. Best- and worst-case counterfactual scenarios were generated using the risk assessment scores and practitioner expertise. The findings suggest that intervening in high-risk stalking cases was cost-beneficial to the state in all the case studies we analysed (even if it incurs some institutional costs borne by the criminal justice system or health) and was often cost-beneficial to the victims too. We believe that this method might be useful in other fields where a victim- or client-centred approach is fundamental.

Intimate partner stalking is a significant health and safety concern in the United States, yet research on this phenomenon remains minimal. The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of homicides precipitated by intimate partner stalking among a sample of homicide victims. This cross-sectional study included a subsample of adult homicide cases classified as intimate partner violence victims (N = 6028) between 2003 and 2015 on the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). The analysis explored victim- and suspect-related factors’ associations to homicide precipitated by intimate partner stalking. Bivariate associations were examined using Pearson’s correlation and Fisher’s exact test. Those meeting a significance threshold of .25 were included in the final analysis. Missingness was addressed with multiple imputation. The logistic regression analysis examined victim (marital status, education level, and geographic region of the homicide) and suspect (age, sex, firearm, and documented history of abuse towards victim) variables’ associations to homicide precipitated by intimate partner stalking. The findings suggest that the victim’s marital status, suspect’s sex, suspect’s use of a firearm, geographic region of the homicide, and a documented history of abuse of victim by the suspect had significant relationships with homicide precipitated by intimate partner stalking. The associations between death by firearm and previously documented history of abuse with homicide precipitated by intimate partner stalking have substantial implications for the criminal justice system. Limitations of the NVDRS dataset, recommendations for research, policy and prevention are discussed.

Intimate partner violence, stalking, and technology-based abuse increasingly intersect as online surveillance has become more easily accessible. Despite the ubiquity of information communication technologies across all aspects of social life, definitions and measurement of stalking have not kept pace with this cultural shift. This article describes stalking and technology-based abuse across three samples of intimate partner violence survivors. Over a period of 6 years (2012–2018), data were collected from survivors of intimate partner violence (n = 1137) receiving services from domestic violence programs (including shelter). Three forms of data collection were employed across two studies: pen-and-paper surveys, web-based surveys, and qualitative semi-structured interviews. Data were combined and analyzed to document and compare women’s reports of stalking and technology-based abuse. Across the two quantitative samples, 62–72% of women reported experiencing direct stalking and 60–63% reported experiencing technology-based abuse by an intimate partner. Qualitative data are used to describe and contextualize women’s reports of stalking and technology-based abuse. Stalking and technology-based abuse are contingent upon the context, including frequency, duration, history of abuse, and patterns of behavior. Due to the subjective nature of online interactions, it is challenging to create definitions and measures that capture these forms of abuse. Indeed, survivors themselves may not have a clear understanding of the threshold at which monitoring behaviors become abusive. Researchers should work to better understand definitions, measurement, and consequences of technology-based abuse and stalking while advocates and legislators move toward creating legal protections for survivors.

This study examined the psychometric properties of stalking victimization and related fear-based measures in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) to better understand the ability of these items to produce valid estimates and comparisons across gender groups. This analysis used data from 9086 women and 7421 men in the 2010 NISVS conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Descriptive, reliability, and dimensionality statistics were examined for seven measures of stalking behaviors and four indicators of fear. The structure of each measure was then examined using item response theory-based methods. Results showed that the NISVS measures were effective at capturing information for a broad range of stalking victimization and fear levels. Item difficulties did vary by gender, particularly for the fear indicators. Some items were more difficult for men, while others were more difficult for women. In the end, differences canceled each other out, and no meaningful gender differences were found. The measures performed identically for women and men. This study provides confidence in our ability to use the NISVS questions to estimate the prevalence of stalking across gender groups. Results have important implications for selecting stalking behaviors and fear indicators to measure stalking.

Domestic violence victim advocacy is an integral part of the response to intimate partner stalking (IPS). However, research specifically examining the strategies that advocates use to support survivors of stalking is limited. The present study aims to expand the knowledge base on advocates’ practices with survivors of IPS. Through inductive analysis of interviews with 26 domestic violence victim advocates, advocates’ responses to IPS were examined. Findings indicated that advocates used macro, mezzo and micro level practices to respond to IPS. Micro level responses included advising clients to create logs of stalking behaviors, keeping detailed case notes of stalking behaviors disclosed in meetings with clients, and engaging in survivor centered safety planning that considered both emotional and physical well-being. Mezzo level responses involved working in community-based response models to improve justice and child welfare system responses to IPS. Macro level responses included successfully advocating for changes to state law to incorporate stalking behaviors as criteria for obtaining and enforcing orders of protection. Implications for advocacy include engaging in survivor centered safety planning and working collaboratively with survivors to gather evidence of stalking, developing policies mandating education about intimate partner violence in child welfare systems, establishing cross-training and informal relationships with law enforcement and CPS caseworkers, and mentorship and coalition building to facilitate legislative advocacy.

A nontrivial percentage of men and women report being stalked in their lifetime, and many of these experiences were perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner. This study seeks to better understand the situational contexts of this social phenomenon among a high-risk population - college students - and explores how elements of the situational context of intimate partner stalking relate to police notification.Using data from college students attending 24 universities in the United States, logistic regression analyses are supplemented with conjunctive analyses of case configurations (CACC), which allow for the construction of situational contexts of intimate partner stalking and a comparison of contexts that are and are not reported to the police.Overall, police notification for intimate partner stalking is low (6%). Logistic regression analyses revealed that multiple types of stalking victimization and interference with activities are related to an increased likelihood of police notification. CACC indicated that the relevance of interference with activities is dependent upon self-reporting that the victimization resulted in an intimidating environment. Furthermore, multiple types of stalking victimizations and co-occurring victimizations (i.e., physical violence, sexual violence, and coercive control) are related to police notification if the victim also reports interference with activities and an intimidating environment. These relationships are driven by White, non-Hispanic women who live off-campus.Our dual analytical approach highlights the complementary use of traditional regression methods and CACC. These results provide insight for efforts to assist victims of intimate partner stalking in order to encourage police notification.

National data suggests that more women meet a stalking definition that includes fear or concern for safety than men. However, less research has focused on how experiences of stalking may differ for men compared to women who were stalked and were afraid or concerned for their safety. This study examined stalker gender, course-of-conduct, threats and safety efficacy, and the association of those factors on stalking-related fear and mental health outcomes for men (n = 218) and women (n = 478) stalked by (ex)partners (n = 285) and non-partners (n = 411) within the past 5 years. Results showed that women had higher stalking-related-fear; but they were also more likely to be targeted by male (ex)partner stalkers than men. Even so, men who were stalked by males had higher stalking-related fear, after controlling for other factors, than men who were stalked by women. Further, (ex)partner stalkers were more threatening, interfering, and assaultive than non-partner stalkers. Safety efficacy, or perceived capability in handling a threatening situation, played a key role in mental health outcomes for both men and women stalking victims. Also, one-third of stalking victims, regardless of stalker type, indicated they also experienced proxy stalking. The study results suggest that characteristics of the stalking situation impacts fear and mental health outcomes, and that assessment and safety planning should consider both features of the stalking experience and safety efficacy of victims. Future research studies need to expand the repertoire of safety planning, and their effectiveness, to better address safety as well as to ameliorate mental health consequences.

The nature of crime is changing—estimates suggest that at least half of all crime is now committed online. Once everyday objects (e.g. televisions, baby monitors, door locks) that are now internet connected, collectively referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), have the potential to transform society, but this increase in connectivity may generate new crime opportunities. Here, we conducted a systematic review to inform understanding of these risks. We identify a number of high-level mechanisms through which offenders may exploit the consumer IoT including profiling, physical access control and the control of device audio/visual outputs. The types of crimes identified that could be facilitated by the IoT were wide ranging and included burglary, stalking, and sex crimes through to state level crimes including political subjugation. Our review suggests that the IoT presents substantial new opportunities for offending and intervention is needed now to prevent an IoT crime harvest.

We examined how sexual assault experiences vary depending on active duty women’s relationship to their perpetrator (intimate partner versus acquaintances/friends, strangers, and unspecified perpetrators). This study analyzed weighted data from a 2016 survey representative of active duty Service members regarding their sexual assault experiences in the past year. Independent sample t-tests compared experiences based on the nature of the relationship between the victim and perpetrator. Military women sexually assaulted by intimate partners were more likely than those assaulted by non-intimate partners to indicate multiple incidents of sexual assault, penetrative sexual assault, stalking and sexual harassment before and after an incident, and a history of sexual assault in their lifetime. Military women sexually assaulted by intimate partners also indicated lower satisfaction with responses from leadership and victim advocates compared to other relationship types. Survey results distinguish intimate partner sexual assault from non-intimate partner sexual assault. While Department of Defense programs are organized around such differences, these results suggest further tailoring of prevention and response programs to reflect unique victim experiences.

Binge drinking may be associated with adolescents' experience of multiple types of interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization, and if so, could be a malleable intervention target to prevent interpersonal violence. The current article explores the between- and within-person associations of binge drinking (i.e., 4/5 or more drinks in a row for girls/boys) with interpersonal violence among adolescents (N = 1322, 50.3% girls/women, 88.9% White/non-Hispanic, 85.9% heterosexual, 18.6% free/reduced lunch, aged 13-19) using a longitudinal design (three waves of data collection across more than a year). Overall, adolescents who engaged in binge drinking at more time points were more likely to perpetrate sexual harassment and stalking, and more likely to be victims of stalking and dating violence. At time points when adolescents had engaged in binge drinking in the past month, they were more likely to perpetrate dating violence, less likely to perpetrate stalking, and more likely to be sexual harassment victims. Addressing binge drinking in prevention programs may reduce some forms of interpersonal violence.

Drawing data from a sample of stalking victims, this study assessed the impact of nine subsequent police actions, including police inaction, on victim-reported outcome of their stalking situation after the incident was reported to the police. The outcome variable has three response categories: the situation got worse, the situation stayed the same, and the situation got better. The author found three of the nine police actions were significantly related to the outcome variable. The author found that victims were more likely to report that their stalking situation improved when the responding officer took a report or warned the perpetrator. The author also found that police inaction increased the odds of victims reporting that their stalking situation worsened as well as the odds of victims reporting that their stalking situation improved. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Bars and nightclubs are main locations for sexual assault outcomes such as rape, attempted rape, stalking, and other forms of sexual harassment. Alcohol use is strongly associated with violence in nightlife settings. The present study aimed to identify individual and environmental factors, such as different types of nightclubs, music styles, and physical environment associated with nightclub patron’s report of being victims of sexual aggression inside nightclubs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Two levels of data were collected: observational data inside nightclubs and individual-level survey data of 2422 patrons at the entrance and 1822 patrons (1111 men; 711 women) at the exit of 31 nightclubs. Among patrons, 11.5% (95% CI 7.9–16.2%) reported being a victim of sexual aggression inside the venues in the night of the survey. Groping and forced kissing were the most prevalent forms of sexual aggression (9.8%; [7.2–13.1%]), which was more strongly associated with environmental factors such as crowding (OR = 2.9 [1.6–5.2%]), entrance consumption fee (OR = 4.2 [2.5–7.0%]), and music style than with individual-level factors. In funk (OR = 3.3 [1.6–6.9%]), electronic (OR = 3.2 [1.8–5.8%]), and pop dance (OR = 7.9 [2.2–29.1%]) nightclubs, patrons had higher chances of being a victim of sexual aggression compared to those ones at the eclectic nightclubs. Presence of reserved areas for sex increased the chances of reporting sexual aggression (OR = 1.8 [1.2–2.8%]). No significant gender differences for sexual aggression were detected. Results suggest a requirement of security improvement where environmental characteristics are potential predictors of victimization.

Over the past decade, considerable and increasing attention has been paid to the high prevalence of sexual and intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual harassment (i.e., interpersonal violence) on college and university campuses. Consequences of these victimizations are vast and long-lasting. Given the potential impact of dynamic changes in federal guidance on how to address interpersonal violence on campuses, it is even more critical for faculty from many different disciplines focused on anti-violence research and practice to be involved in efforts to intervene with and prevent such violence. In this commentary, we outline opportunities for faculty leadership in the areas of research, teaching, and service based on available research in these areas as well as our collective experiences as members of academia (e.g., students, former students, faculty) and former intimate partner violence and sexual assault service providers. Additionally, we discuss challenges that may arise for faculty (e.g., fixed-term faculty, adjunct faculty, pre-tenure assistant professors, tenured professors) taking on such leadership opportunities, such as increased workload and emotional labor, and make recommendations to help mitigate these challenges.

American Indian women across all ages are significantly more likely than women of other ethnic groups to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Despite their increased risk of interpersonal violence, there are few published studies or reports that explicitly examine the needs of victimized American Indian women. Therefore, both researchers and service providers know very little about the multifaceted needs of victimized American Indian women and whether current community services are meeting the needs of victimized native women. Identifying such needs is a logical next step so that victim service agencies can develop and effectively provide services tailored to victimized American Indian women. This commentary addresses these gaps by (1) identifying the needs of American Indian women in a domestic violence shelter in Arizona, and (2) highlighting the researcher-practitioner partnership that made it possible to gain access to these victims. Drawing on survey responses from 37 American Indian female clients and interviews with 10 staff members, the findings reveal that the domestic violence agency service provider is meeting many of their needs. Findings also indicate that clients have a wide variety of specific personal needs (e.g., safety, housing, transportation), needs relating to their children (e.g., safety, education, socialization), community needs (e.g., relating to their tribe), as well as legal needs (e.g., help obtaining a restraining order or divorce). These multifaceted needs are discussed and specific recommendations are provided for successful researcher-practitioner partnerships.

Article 34 of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence obliges signatory states to criminalize stalking. This article provides an inventory of criminal anti-stalking legislation in the 28 EU Member States in order to see whether they live up to this obligation. Although the number of Member States with dedicated legislation has increased significantly (n = 21) there are some questionable trends, such as the proliferation of criminal provisions which require the victim to have experienced fear or distress or an inclusion of an exhaustive list of stalking tactics. Although the states are not in evident violation of article 34 their perception of what constitutes stalking sometimes deviates from the intentions of the Convention.

What facts known to police, if any, could have predicted the 107 domestic and family murders and near-murders in Dorset (UK) police area over a recent 7-year period, using methods identical to Thornton’s (2011, 2017)? The data were gathered from all 107 cases of domestic murders, manslaughter, attempted murder or grievous bodily harm with intent in Dorset between April 2009 and March 2015, plus a matched control sample of 214 arrestees for less-deadly violent offences. Replicating Thornton’s Thames Valley analysis, two methods were used: (1) calculating errors in predictions from previous risk assessments using the UK’s DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment) risk assessment protocol and (2) making a case-control comparison of Thornton’s risk factors between the deadly domestic violence cases in Dorset to a Dorset sample of victims and offenders in all violence cases during the same time period. False negative risk assessments were found in 67% of the deadly violence cases with prior police contact (45 of 67) not classified by DASH as ‘high risk.’ The false positives in the same time period totalled 12,279 cases of no serious harm among 12,301 cases receiving high risk assessments, for a 99% false positive rate. Possible alternative predictors were found in differences between deadly offenders and controls, both male and female, although it is not known whether these variables were added to the records before or after the deadly violence event. Male offenders in deadly violence cases were 120% more likely to have their police records note a self-harm warning, 20% more likely to have a suicide warning, yet only half as likely to have a mental health warning as control males. Female offenders in deadly violence cases were 355% more likely to have a weapons warning on file, 244% more likely to have a mental health warning and 146% more likely to have a drugs warning than female control case offenders. The current risk assessment tool (DASH) failed to predict the majority of deadly domestic violence cases over 6 years in Dorset. Other factors could do better, but more research is required before highly accurate forecasting tools can be applied to help save the lives of more domestic abuse victims.

Communication by means of social networks and messenger programs as well as the use of smartphones have rapidly increased during recent years and are constantly present in everyday life. We report about a 25-year-old patient with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder who posted photographs of acute self-injuries to a group of fellow patients by means of a messenger app while on weekend leave during psychiatric hospital treatment. The implications about possible effects of the use of social media by psychiatric in-patients on treatment and group dynamics are discussed. Furthermore, social media communication by patients is focused on in general and potential consequences for psychiatric, psychotherapeutic and psychosomatic treatment are discussed.

This paper adds to our understandings of women’s post-separation experiences of coercive control through the introduction of a new concept—custody stalking. It is defined as a malevolent course of conduct involving fathers’ use of custody and/or child protection proceedings to overturn historic patterns of care for children. The experience of custody stalking is explored through three composite narratives derived from twelve mothers who participated in an exploratory, qualitative study on the involuntary loss of maternal care time following separation. The losses suffered caused these mothers tremendous grief, damaged their psychological wellbeing and had a detrimental effect on their mothering relationships. Yet custody stalking, as a form of malevolent attack, is not well recognised and mothers’ resultant losses are largely culturally invisible. This is in marked contrast to paternal filicides, another form of post-separation avenging attack committed by some fathers that also leads to maternal loss experiences, albeit more absolute.

The present study examined the extent of cyber and in-person unwanted pursuit behaviors (UPBs) reported by undergraduate men and women who pursued former partners and the pursuer’s perceptions of the impact of their pursuit on their targets. Among a sample of 1167 undergraduates (66.8 % women; 95.4 % heterosexual) approximately 80 % of men and women reported engaging in UPBs toward former partners, with cyber pursuit endorsed by a subset of those who engaged in in-person UPBs. Despite few gender differences in overall pursuit, men endorsed engaging in a number of specific behaviors more than did women. Most UPBs did receive responses from targets, and pursuers generally did not perceive their behaviors as annoying, threatening, or frightening. Women perceived that targets had more negative responses to UPBs, particularly to threatening or violent pursuit, and men perceived more positive or neutral responses overall. Minor UPBs were associated with relationship reconciliation among women and men, whereas severe UPBs were associated with reconciliation among men only. Results suggest that pursuers likely underestimate the impact of their behaviors on targets and that pursuers’ efforts, even severe and threatening, are often reinforced, particularly for men who pursue. Universities must be aware of UPBs and provide prevention programs specific to healthy relationship dissolution and pursuit. Provision of corrective information regarding the impact of severe and threatening pursuit may assist in reducing these behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to explore: (1) how victims of stalking experience the phenomenon in their daily life, (2) how the nature of stalking informs the victim's internal coping strategies, and (3) how the victims' internal coping strategies negatively affect their daily life and well-being.METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 victims of stalking. Thematic content analysis was employed, and themes were primarily identified inductively and broad into dialogue with concepts, such as Foucault's panopticism.RESULTS: The results of the study indicate that rather than the stalkers' harassment itself; it is the unpredictability of the stalkers' potential actions that inform the victims' primary coping strategy-self-regulation. Self-regulation consists of various strategies victims employ to avoid the stalker. Our analysis shows that self-regulation as a coping strategy has social and psychological consequences for the victims, leading to various degrees of social isolation and apprehension.CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that it is necessary to consider how professionals advise victims to cope with their situation as how legal measures should focus on the security of victims.

A large share of the American population suffers from traumatic experiences early in life. Many adults are also victims of trauma. Using data drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey–Replication, we examine the link between self-reported happiness, a broad gauge of subjective well-being, and four types of traumatic victimization that may occur at various points in the life cycle. In particular, we consider the association between home violence, sexual assault, community violence, and stalking and subsequent victims’ adult happiness. For females and males, we find that each of these traumas significantly reduces self-reported happiness later in the life course, and for both women and men, the estimated impact of home violence is greatest. Furthermore, we find that the adverse effects of trauma on happiness are comparable to the impact of critical socioeconomic developments on happiness. Moreover, we find that experiencing more than one type of these four traumas has a greater negative impact on subsequent happiness than experiencing only one type. Our findings are robust to the inclusion of a wide range of controls, and the influence of trauma on subsequent happiness is independent of personal and family characteristics. Since happiness and mental health are closely related, our work suggests that traumatic victimization undermines overall health and well-being in the U.S.

Stalking new vaccines: Methods that target the stems of viral proteins could put universal vaccines within reach

I'm thinking of those graphs we anxiously scan each day carrying news of infection's spread, asking if we will find death stalking all our neighborhoods, or can we follow other countries' leads, difference induced by distancing that will flatten the curve, save our friends, our families, ourselves? Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Mathematical Intelligencer is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives Review the evidence provided by victim surveys in order to provide a rough estimate of the personal crime prevalence of the main types of cybercrime. Methods We performed a search in databases, searched online, and contacted several Offices for National Statistics in Europe and selected surveys that provided information about individual victims of crime which were representative for a general population. Six types of cybercrime have been distinguished, namely online shopping fraud, online fraud banking/payment, other cyber fraud (such as advanced fee fraud), cyber threats/harassment, malware, and hacking. For every survey the questions on cybercrime are presented and the crime prevalence estimates are compared. Results Nine surveys were included. Annual crime prevalence rates ranged from 1 to 3% for online shopping fraud, from less than 1 to 2% for online banking/payment fraud. Less than 1% of the population is a victim of other types of fraud and a maximum of 3% of the population experiences some sort of online bullying such as stalking (1%) or threatening (1%). 1–6% is a victim of hacking. The estimates for being a victim of malware range from 2 to 15%. For all offences it cannot be estimated how much of the differences are due to variation in methods and questioning between the studies or real differences between countries or change over time. Conclusions As yet there have been very few well performed randomised sampled studies on cybercrime amongst the general population. Cybercrime prevalence (and its trend) can only be well measured if the questions are frequently updated and adequately address new aspects of cybercrime. To adequately monitor cybercrime in the future it is advisable to develop some fairly abstract main categories that are of durable validity, whilst allowing for up-to-date illustrations. Furthermore, ideally the questioning in the ongoing surveys in the different countries should be standardised and there should be a uniform categorisation of the different cyber offences. A screening question in order to permit more accurate dating is essential to reduce telescoping bias. Surveys should ask about the impact on or damage to the victims.

This study investigated unwanted pursuit behavior (UPB) perpetration in 631 adult ex-partners. UPB involves the unwanted pursuit of intimacy, a widespread and usually less severe form of stalking. The occurrence and various risk factors of UPB perpetration were examined, accounting for differences between male and female ex-partners and same- and opposite-gender ex-partners. Ex-partners showed on average five to six UPBs after their separation. Male and female and same- and opposite-gender ex-partners displayed an equal number of UPBs. The number of perpetrated UPBs was explained by breakup characteristics (ex-partner initiation of the breakup and rumination or cognitive preoccupation with the ex-partner), relationship characteristics (anxious attachment in the former relationship), and individual perpetrator characteristics (borderline traits and past delinquent behaviors). Rumination was a stronger predictor in female than male ex-partners. Borderline traits and anxious attachment positively predicted UPB perpetration in opposite-gender but not in same-gender ex-partners. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Covictimization involves experiencing both physical and sexual forms of intimate partner violence (IPV). It was hypothesized that covictimization during a dating relationship would predict stalking, ongoing pursuit, and continued partner violence after the relationship ended. Undergraduate women (N = 99) provided self-report data regarding experiences of IPV both during and after their most recent breakup and ongoing pursuit after the breakup. As expected, covictimized women reported elevated rates of post-breakup IPV, both physical and sexual. In addition, covictimized women reported elevated rates of ongoing pursuit involving intimidation/threats, but not involving approach/contact or surveillance. Ongoing intimidation/threat pursuit was also associated with post-breakup IPV, even after controlling for pre-breakup IPV. Covictimized women are at risk for continued intimidation and violence from ex-partners.

Atheology, accurately defined by Alvin Plantinga, offers reasons why god’s existence is implausible. Skeptically reasoning that theological arguments for god fail to make their case is one way of leaving supernaturalism in an implausible condition. This ‘rationalist’ atheology appeals to logical standards to point out fallacies and other sorts of inferential gaps. Beyond that methodological marker, few shared tactics characterize atheists and agnostics stalking theological targets. If unbelief be grounded on reason, let atheology start from a theological stronghold: the principle of sufficient reason, a cornerstone of rationality. Seven rules, corollaries to that principle, are enough to show how theological arguments for god repeatedly contravene rationality by perpetuating mysteries, contradictions, begging of questions, pseudo-explanations, and the like. None of these complaints are new, nor has theology been unaware of them. Disorganized atheology has, so far, allowed theology to appear to answer them. Five major arguments for god are systematically analyzed and refuted using these seven rules of rationality, as a preliminary exercise illustrating this re-organized and re-focused rationalist atheology.

While various forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) within the Latino community have been explored to some extent, the role of immigrant status and acculturation on IPV remains unclear. The current study investigated the lifetime rate of physical, sexual, stalking, and threat IPV, as well as the profile of abuse tactics used against victimized Latino women. Further, the influence of immigrant status, Anglo orientation, Latino orientation, and the interaction of immigrant status and acculturation variables on IPV were examined. Data came from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study that gathered data from a national sample of Latino women (N = 2,000) via telephone interviews. Results showed 15.6 % of Latino women experienced IPV in their lifetime and threat IPV was the most common form of IPV. Physical, sexual, stalking and threat IPV were all used as abusive tactics in various configurations. Logistic regression analyses showed immigrants were less likely than U.S. born Latino women to experience any IPV and physical IPV. Anglo orientation was associated with increased odds of any IPV and stalking IPV while Latino orientation was associated with decreased odds of all forms of IPV. Furthermore, the protective effect of Latino orientation for stalking IPV was pronounced among immigrants. Together the results show that 1 in 6 Latino women experience IPV and that sociocultural factors such as immigrant status and acculturation are important considerations for this group, underscoring the influence of migration and cultural adaptation to family functioning.

Stalking was first criminalised in the United States in the early 1990s and most recently two stalking offences were introduced in the United Kingdom to deal specifically with stalking behaviour, strengthen the prosecution of stalkers and improve the protection of victims. However, despite growing policy and research attention in the last decade, the available knowledge and understanding regarding the nature and impact of stalking and the needs of its victims are rather limited. As such, this article aims to add to current knowledge by exploring the needs and suggestions of stalking victims based on the in-depth accounts of 26 self-defined victims/survivors of stalking who took part in a study examining the impact of stalking and the criminal justice system responses to victims. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that often stalking victims’ voices are not heard, their complaints are dismissed, their emotional turmoil is not recognised, their needs for support and safety are not properly addressed and therefore while they may be statistically present, in essence they remain ‘invisible’.

We report results from pre-testing an Europe-wide Survey on Violence against Women. A questionnaire on women’s experiences of stalking, harassment, psychological, physical, and sexual violence by non-, ex-, and current partners was tested on 10 known victims of violence in intimate relations and 20 randomly selected women. Multiple Correspondence Analysis uncovered two profiles of victimization: women poly-victimized in multiple life ambits and women distinctly victimized in only some of them. Known-victims of intimate partner’s violence (IPV) were more likely to be poly-victimized than randomly selected women. Heterogeneity in women’s socio-economic conditions could only partly account for IPV’s over-representation among poly-victimized women. This gave more credence to an interpretation that highlights the role played by previous traumatic experiences of victimization on re-victimization.

Stalking is a concern on college campuses and it often goes unreported to authorities. This study seeks to determine whether gender of the respondent, gender of the victim/offender, and relationship status influence perceptions of victim reporting of stalking in a university setting. Regression results indicate that students believe that male victims and victims of an ex-intimate are significantly less likely to report their cases to police, while qualitative data suggests that gender norms, the potential for violence, and shame all play a role in perceptions of reporting. Implications of these findings are discussed, as well as directions for future research.

Using an experimental design, this research examined the impact of proactive enforcement of court-imposed no-contact orders (NCOs) on offender behavior and victim safety in cases of misdemeanor domestic violence. The major research goals and objectives were to assess whether proactive enforcement: (1) enhanced victim safety by reducing offender recidivism; (2) increased victim knowledge about no-contact orders; and (3) reduced contact between offenders and victims. A prospective design was used to randomly assign 466 cases of misdemeanor criminal domestic violence to either systematic, proactive enforcement or to routine, reactive enforcement of the court-ordered no-contact order conditions. Treatment effectiveness was assessed by analyses of official criminal records data and victim survey data. Study results suggest that the treatment had no impact on victim safety or offender recidivism. Notably, victims in the treatment group were more likely to be aware that the no-contact order was in place, had higher level of contact with law enforcement and victim advocates, and more often viewed the contact with their batterer as stalking or harassment. Overall, findings from this study suggest important directions for future research examining the effectiveness of interventions for intimate partner violence and abuse.