Stalking and Health - An Austrian Prevalence Study

Abstract

The prevalences found in this study are in line with other international studies, although, in a direct comparison, they are in the lower range. However, these data document the relevance of the phenomenon of stalking for the female Austrian population.

The prevalence of stalking: Current data from a German victim survey

“…Budd and Mattinson (2000), for instance, found that students and singles had a particularly high victimization risk, whereas married people, for example, had a lower risk of becoming a victim of stalking. Similarly, in a study by Basile et al (2006), unmarried, separated and divorced respondents reported higher victimization rates (also see Freidl et al, 2011;Van der Aa and Kunst, 2009). The authors of the FRA study found that single mothers (34 percent) were at an exceptionally high risk of stalking victimization and explained this conspicuousness with the high proportion of previous partners among the offenders.…”

“…First, one should take into account that the sample was restricted to the German population aged 16–40 years. Several studies have found that the risk of stalking victimization is age dependent (for example, FRA, 2014; Freidl et al, 2011; Scottish Government, 2014). However, since younger people in particular have been reported to be at a higher risk of experiencing stalking, the main potential risk group of stalking victims was covered in the present study.…”

“…Most of the cases (45 percent) lasted up to three months; 11 percent of the serious cases had a duration of five years or more. Within their female Austrian community-based sample, Freidl et al (2011) reported an average stalking duration of 16 months, ranging from 1 month to 54 years.…”

“…Thus, some studies have focused on women as potential victims of stalking (for example, Feltes et al, 2012; FRA, 2014; Freidl et al, 2011): in a comprehensive study on stalking ( N = 42,000), FRA compared prevalence rates for women aged 18 to 74 across the 28 member states of the European Union (EU). Overall, a lifetime prevalence (since the age of 15) of 18 percent was found for the EU, varying from 8 percent (Lithuania and Romania) to 33 percent (Sweden).…”

Effects of and coping strategies for stalking victimisation in Spain: Consequences for its criminalisation

“…Unlike in some of the countries that criminalised stalking before, this process was not preceded by an empirical analysis to determine the prevalence of stalking victimisation in Spain. The 1998 British Crime Survey (Budd and Mattinson, 1998;Office for National Statistics, 2015) provided data on stalking in England and Wales, as did similar national studies conducted prior to its criminalisation in Germany (Hoffmann, 2006), Italy (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica, 2007), Austria (Freidl et al, 2011), the Netherlands (Van der Aa, 2010), Sweden (Dovelius, Öberg and Holmberg, 2006), Norway (Narud, Friestad and Dahl 2014) and…”