Works Cited
Baum, Katrina, et al. "Stalking Victimization in the United States." January 2009. Office on Violence Against Women, U.S.
Department of Justice. Document. 21 September 2012.
Mohandie, Kris, et al. "The RECON Typology of Stalking: Reliability and Validity Based Upon a Large Sample of North American
Stalkers." Journal of Forensic Science (2006): 147-155. Document.
Stalking Resource Center. Stalking Information. 2012. 21 September 2012.
www.institutefornativejustice.org
Get the Facts!
Stalking
Stalking is defined as a course of conduct (or a pattern of behavior) directed at a specific person that would
cause a reasonable person to feel fear. This “course of conduct” includes, but is not limited to, harassing or
threatening behavior, such as following a person (whether the following be done in person or through the
use of electronic monitoring), appearing at a person’s home or work, repeated phone calls, repeated written
or electronic messages, or vandalism. Stalking can occur in domestic violence situations, but many victims
have not had a previous relationship with their stalkers. This is a separate crime and needs to be treated as
such.
1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men have experienced stalking victimization at some point during their lifetime
in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
The majority of stalking victims are stalking by someone they know. 66% of female victims and 41% of
male victims of stalking are stalked by a current or former intimate partner.
1 in 4 victims report being stalked through the use of some form of technology (such as e-mail or instant
messaging).
1 in 8 employed stalking victims lose time from work as a result of their victimization and more than half
lose 5 days of work or more.
89% of female homicide victims who had been physically assaulted had also been stalked in the 12 months
before their murder.
Weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in 1 out of 5 cases.
Almost 1/3 of stalkers have stalked before.
Intimate partner stalkers frequently approach their targets, and their behaviors escalate quickly.
Less than 1/3 of states classify stalking as a felony upon first offense.
More than 1/2 of states classify stalking as a felony upon second offense or subsequent offense or when the
crime involves aggravating factors. Aggravating factors may include: possession of a deadly weapon,
violation of a court order or condition of probation/parole, victim under 16 years, or same victim as prior
occasions.
