Lifetime prevalence and impact of stalking in a European population

Abstract

This study identified a high lifetime prevalence of stalking in the community. Effects on victims' psychological health are significant, suggesting that the phenomenon deserves more attention in future community mental health research.

Dealing with the unknown: Learning from stalking victims’ experiences

“…Most stalking victimisation studies carried out in the United Kingdom, USA and Europe have shown that stalkers' persistent and unwanted pursuit can cause significant disruption to their targets' everyday lives and force them to a plethora of lifestyle changes ranging from changing their phone numbers and daily routines, reducing their social outings to relocating, changing their jobs and/or names (Pathé and Mullen, 1997;Tjaden and Thoennes, 1998;Purcell et al, 2002;Dressing et al, 2005;Melton, 2007;Baum et al, 2009). …”

“…Most importantly, it has been established that the incessant, prolonged and threatening nature of stalkers' acts and behaviours often deteriorates the victims' quality of life and can be increasingly traumatic giving rise to feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, suicidality, helplessness, distress, anger and distrust that in many cases last for many years after the pursuit has ceased (Pathé and Mullen, 1997;Brewster, 1998;Westrup et al, 1999;Davis et al, 2002;Dressing et al, 2005;Purcell et al, 2005;Melton, 2007;Cox and Speziale, 2009;Logan and Walker, 2010).…”

Framing and perceptions of stalking: the influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator–target relationship

“…Research regarding the prevalence of stalking indicates that 12 percent of people living in England and Wales (Hall & Smith, 2011), 12 percent of people living in Germany (Dressing, Kuehner, & Gass, 2005), 11 percent of people living in Eastern Austria (Stieger, Burger, & Schild, 2008) and 17 percent of people living in the Netherlands (van der Aa & Kunst, 2009) have experienced stalking within their lifetime. Victims of stalking experience a range of social, psychological, physical and financial costs as a direct consequence of being stalked (Spitzberg & Cupach, 2007).…”

Lifetime prevalence and impact of stalking: Epidemiological data from Eastern Austria

“…The aim of the present study was to replicate the epidemiological study by Dressing and colleagues, which analyzed a sample drawn from a middle-sized German city (Dressing et al, 2005) by using a general population sample (urban as well as rural citizens) from Eastern Austria.Methods: In a survey of 401 persons from Eastern Austria we tried to replicate the study on the lifetime and point prevalence of stalking in a German urban community. The survey included a stalking questionnaire and the WHO-5 well-being scale.…”

“…The aim of the present study was to replicate the epidemiological study by Dressing and colleagues, which analyzed a sample drawn from a middle-sized German city (Dressing et al, 2005) by using a general population sample (urban as well as rural citizens) from Eastern Austria.…”