Stalking actions, prior offender‐victim relationships and issuing of restraining orders in a Finnish sample of stalkers

Abstract

Purpose. Various stalking styles were first clustered by using multidimensional scaling (MDS), and then different stalking styles were analysed against prior restrainee‐victim relationship and violation of the restraining order. Methods. The court and police files of a random sample of 240 Finnish stalking cases, in which a restraining order had been issued, were content analysed for the existence of 30 dichotomous stalking action variables. MDS was performed in order to identify different stalking styles. Results. The solution of a multidimensional scaling analysis suggested three distinct structural themes for the actions: instrumental/pursuit, instrumental/ manipulation and expressive/violence. The themes were partially associated with the nature of the prior victim‐restrainee relationship. In all, 35% of the restrainees violated the restraining order. No significant associations were found between violating the restraining order and restrainee, victim or circumstantial characteristics. Violation correlated significantly with the action themes instrumental/pursuit and expressive/violence. The number of stalking actions was also significantly higher for the stalkers who violated the restraining order. In addition, in all of the cases where the victim had voluntarily met with the restrainee, the restraining order was violated. Among the violators, the proportion of restrainees employing violent stalking actions and threats significantly decreased following the issuing of the restraining order. Conclusions. The results suggest that stalking can be interpreted thematically. Violation of the restraining orders is associated with certain stalking themes and the number of stalking actions. Further violence is decreased by the issuing of the restraining orders. Restraining orders playa significant role in victim protection and intervention.

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

“…As such, it is important that the public are aware of the civil remedies available (i.e., restraining orders), in order to provide protection to victims of stalking. As Häkkänen, Hagelstam, and Santtila (2003) pointed out, restraining orders can play a significant role in the protection of stalking victims provided the conditions of the order are respected by the victim as well as the perpetrator. It 25 is equally important that the public are educated that harassment and stalking constitute illegal acts that upon conviction can result in a custodial sentence.…”

Adolescent stalking and risk of violence

“…that tend to co-occur to comprise stalking (Breiding, Basile, Smith, Black, & Mahendra, 2015; Meloy, 2013; Owens, 2016; Spitzberg, 2002). However, some evidence from the adult literature suggests stalking perpetrators may not be uniform and in fact there may be latent subgroups or typologies of perpetrators based on what stalking tactics are engaged in (Björklund, Häkkänen-Nyholm, Sheridan, Roberts, & Tolvanen, 2010; Hirtenlehner, Starzer, & Weber, 2012; Häkkänen, Hagelstam, & Santtila, 2003). Identifying potential typologies of stalking perpetrators is critical because distinct stalking profiles may confer distinct consequences and risk of violence.…”

Protection Orders in the European Member States: Where Do We Stand and Where Do We Go from Here?

“…According to the court and police files of a random sample of 240 Finnish stalking cases in which a protection order had been issued, 35% of the stalkers violated the order (Häkkänen et al 2003). Amongst the stalkers who had violated the order, there was a significant decline of the proportion of restrainees employing violent stalking actions and threats.…”