Stalking: Does it Leave a Psychological Footprint?

Objectives. This article offers new evidence on whether stalking damages the mental health of female victims. This study advances the literature by accounting for age of initialstalkingvictimization,mentalhealthstatuspriortobeingstalked,andexposure to other forms of traumatic victimization. Methods. Using logistical analysis, we utilize data drawn from three large national data sets. Results. We find that being the victim of stalking as a young adult, ages 18‐45, significantly increases the odds of initial onset of psychological distress; however, this is not the case for victims ages 12‐17. Conclusions. Stalking has emerged as a deeply disturbing public issue because of its prevalence and the fear it creates in victims. Unfortunately, little is known about the psychological consequences of being stalked because the emerging literature typically is based on small, nonrandom samples. Our findings highlight the benefits of reducing stalking and the importance of supporting victims. Stalking, the willful, malicious, and repeated pursuit of another person threatening his or her safety, is a criminal offense that takes many forms, including frequent unwelcome telephone calls, e-mails, letters, loitering nearby, and following. The perception that stalking is largely confined to strangers pursuingcelebritiesorpoliticalfigureswascommonuntilthe1990s.However, overthepasttwodecadesstalkinghasemergedasadeeplydisturbingpublicissuebecauseof itsprevalenceand the fearitcreates inits victimsin partbecause of the violence perpetrated by stalkers. One in 20 Americans (12 percent of women and 4 percent of men) report being stalked at some point in their lives