Written by Modenie
Stalking is unwanted attention from one individual to the next that is repeated, but one is the perpetrator and the other one is the victim. CDC showed that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have been stalked. According to CDC, conventional stalking involves unwanted visit at the victim’s residency, employment, and other settings by the perpetrator whereas cyberstalking involves using technology such as hidden cameras, messages, and global positioning system (GPS) to monitor the victim. Reiss et al. (2022) explained that both forms of stalking portray fears as the victims feel threatened and harassed most of the time.
The long- term implications of the victims according to CDC are health issues, chronic disease, depression, and post-traumatic disorder. In a romantic relationship, it has been found that men are often the perpetrators, and women are the victims (Reiss et al., 2022). In addition, men like to reinforce their social dominance and use different tactics to control women; as a result, women who are victims experience more fear (Reiss et al., 2022). I know two of my friends who have been stalked and they are still living in fears because it’s hard to prove this behavior to law enforcement. One of them has learned to move on and live with her life while the other one is still struggling with the hurt. It’s important to address and recognize the traits of a stalker and so he or she can find support to healing his or herself.
Fast Facts: Preventing Stalking |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Reiss, D., Curbow, B. A., & Wang, M. Q. (2022). Intimate partner cyberstalking among young adults: Associations with attachment and social support. Sexuality & Culture, 26, 2202-2221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-09993-3
Reiss, D., Curbow, B. A., & Wang, M. Q. (2022). Young adults’ perceptions of intimate partner cyberstalking behaviors, severity, and associations with depressive symptoms and social isolation. Sexuality & Culture, 26, 176-203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09885-