Violence and the prior victim–stalker relationship

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Previous research has suggested that stalkers who are ex-partners are more likely to be violent towards their victims than acquaintance or stranger stalkers. A survey was conducted in Britain of 95 individuals who had contacted the Suzy Lamplugh Trust because they were being stalked. METHOD: Eighty-seven of the victims were female and seven were male. They were put into three categories: ex-intimates, former acquaintances and strangers. RESULTS: Ex-intimates were the most aggressive of the three groups. Ex-partners were overall the most intrusive in their behaviour and were also the most likely to threaten and assault third parties as well as their principal victim. Stranger stalkers, however, were significantly more likely than ex-partners to be convicted of stalking-related offences. CONCLUSION: The experiences of our sample would suggest that being stalked carries a high violence risk. Across relational subtypes, over 40% of respondents had experienced physical assault, including attempted murder, sexual assault, or a combination of these acts.

‘Reasonable’ perceptions of stalking: the influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator–target relationship

“…The significant finding for the influence of the perpetrator-target relationship on the target's perceived level of responsibility is consistent with the research of Sheridan, Gillett et al (2003) and the real world finding that ex-partners and acquaintances are less likely to be convicted for stalking related activities than strangers (Sheridan & Davies, 2001b).…”

“…Most research to date has focused on the applicability of the JWH to peoples' reactions to victims of sexual assault and illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and cancer (Hafer & Bègue, 2005). In the context of stalking, the JWH provides an explanation for the real-world finding that intimate stalkers are less likely to incur criminal convictions compared with stranger stalkers (Harris, 2000;Sheridan & Davies, 2001b). Because former intimate stalkers share a history with their victim, an observer may surmise that the victim must have done something to upset the stalker, and therefore is more likely to deserve their fate than a victim who has never met their harasser and therefore cannot possibly have upset him or her (see Sheridan, Gillett et al, 2003).…”

“…These findings are particularly concerning as research has shown that violent ex-partner stalkers are less likely to incur criminal convictions compared to violent stranger stalkers (Sheridan & Davies, 2001b). An evaluative study of the PfHA has also demonstrated that cases sent to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on prosecution are more likely to be dropped when the harassment involves an intimate or acquaintance compared to a stranger (41%, 38% and 0% respectively) (Harris, 2000).…”

“…Furthermore, research in the US, Australia and the UK utilising perpetrator-victim pairs (e.g., Palarea, Zona, Lane, & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, 1999), perpetrators of stalking (e.g., Farnham, James, & Cantrell, 2000;James & Farnham, 2003;Meloy, Davis, & Lovette, 2001;Rosenfeld & Lewis, 2005) and victims of stalking (e.g., Pathé & Mullen, 1997;Sheridan & Davies, 2001b) have all demonstrated that ex-partner stalkers are more persistent and more likely to use violence than stranger or acquaintance stalkers. These findings are particularly concerning as research has shown that violent ex-partner stalkers are less likely to incur criminal convictions compared to violent stranger stalkers (Sheridan & Davies, 2001b).…”

The magnitude of the injury pattern in femicides by stabbing in Colombian women

“…As younger and more fertile women are considered more "valuable" than postreproductive age women, the injury pattern exerted by men would be greater to communicate to other men that they have exclusive sexual access and control on the reproductive capability (12). In this way, as highlighted by Wigdor & Artazo (27), men exert control over the lives and bodies of women within a patriarchal society context as the fruit of the colonization process and establishment of a strict religiosity.Likewise, other researchers have pointed out that physical violence against women may be greater if offenders are current or former partners rather than strangers or acquaintances (13)(14)(15)28,29). Multiple reasons have been attached to this phenomenon by psychologists, but these reasons may be classified into two main trends (13).…”