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Stalking is a legal term for repeated harassment or other forms of invasion of a person's privacy in a manner that causes fear (or just plain ******** annoyance) to its target. Statutes vary between jurisdiction but may include such acts as:
_ repeated physical following _ unwanted contact (by letter or other means of communication); _ observing a person's actions closely for an extended period of time; or _ cyberstalking
Stalking does not consist of single incidents, but is a continuous process.
"Stalking is a form of mental assault, in which the perpetrator repeatedly, unwantedly, and disruptively breaks into the life-world of the victim, with whom he has no relationship (or no longer has)...."
Stalking exists on a continuum of severity. The stalking may be subtle enough that the victim may not even be aware that it is happening, or the perpetrator may have no malicious intent. They may even have a sincere belief that the victim would like them.
The stalker will often derogate the victim which reduces them to an object. This allows the stalker to feel angry at them without experiencing empathy, or feel they are entitled to behave as they please toward the victim. Viewing the victim as "lesser," "weak" or otherwise seriously flawed can support delusions that the victim needs to be rescued, or punished, by the stalker. They may slander or defame the character of the victim which helps to isolate them and give the stalker more control, or a feeling of power.
Moreover, many physical stalkers will use cyberstalking as another method of harassing their victims.
Types of stalkers Psychologists tend to group stalkers into two categories: psychotic and nonpsychotic. Many stalkers have pre-existing psychotic disorders such as delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophrenia. Most stalkers are nonpsychotic and exhibit disorders such as major depression, adjustment disorder, or substance dependence, as well as a variety of Axis II personality disorders, such as antisocial, avoidant, borderline, dependent, narcissistic, or paranoid. The nonpsychotic stalkers' pursuit of victims can be influenced by various psychological factors, including anger and hostility, projection of blame, obsession, dependency, minimization and denial, and jealousy.
In "A Study of Stalkers," Mullen et al (2000) identify six types of stalkers
_ Rejected stalkers: pursue their victims in order to reverse, correct, or avenge a rejection _ Resentful stalkers: pursue a vendetta because of a sense of grievance against the victims - motivated mainly by the desire to frighten and distress the victim. _ Intimacy seekers: The intimacy seeker seeks to establish an intimate, loving relationship with their victim. To them, the victim is a long sought-after soul mate, and they were meant to be together. _ Eroto-manic stalker: This stalker believes that the victim is in love with them. The erotomaniac reinterprets what their victim says and does to support the delusion, and is convinced that the imagined romance will eventually become a permanent union. They often target a celebrity or a person of a higher social status (though it is important to note, not all celebrity stalkers are erotomaniacs). _ Incompetent suitor: despite poor social/courting skills, possess a sense of entitlement to an intimate relationship with those who have attracted their amorous interest. _ Predatory stalker: spy on the victim in to prepare and plan an attack – “usually sexual” – on the victim
Many stalkers fit categories with paranoid disorders. Intimacy-seeking stalkers often have delusional disorders that are secondary to preexisting psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. With rejected stalkers, the continual clinging to a relationship of an inadequate or dependant person couples with the entitlement of the narcissistic personality, and the persistent jealousy of the paranoid personality. In contrast, resentful stalkers demonstrate an almost “pure culture of persecution,” with delusional disorders of the paranoid type, paranoid personalities, and paranoid schizophrenia
Gender Studies in Stalking Pathology
“Women are more likely to target someone they have known such as a professional contact, and are more likely to target other females.”
In "A Study of Women Who Stalk", by Purcell, Pathé and Mullen, the authors concluded that the two major psychiatric variables that differentiate female from male stalkers is motivation for stalking and choice of victim. Female stalkers seek intimacy with the victim, who usually is someone already known.
Laws on stalking
Section 264 of the Criminal Code of Canada, titled "criminal harassment" [18] addresses acts which are termed "stalking" in many other jurisdictions. The provisions of the section came into force in August of 1993 with the intent of further strengthening laws protecting women. [19] It is a hybrid offence, which may be punishable upon summary conviction or as an indictable offence, the latter of which which may carry a prison term of up to ten years. Section 264 has withstood Charter challenges [20].
Cyberstalking is the use of the internet or other electronic means to stalk someone.
Cyberstalkers target victims using online forums, bulletin boards, chat rooms, spyware, and spam. Commonly they will post defamatory or derrogatory statements about their stalking target on web pages, message boards and in guest books designed to trigger a reaction or response from their victim, thereby initiating contact.
When prosecuted, many stalkers have unsuccessfully attempted to justify their behavior based on their use of public forums, as opposed to direct contact. Once they get a reaction from the victim, they will typically attempt to track or follow the victim's internet activity.
++coconutbubbletea++ · Wed Jan 10, 2007 @ 04:26am · 0 Comments |
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