Risk Factors for Stalking Persistence and Violence among Intimate Partner Stalkers

Abstract

Assessing the risk associated with stalking behavior is an important topic for social workers, victim advocates, criminal justice personnel, and others who work with victims of interpersonal crime. Most risk-related research in regard to stalking has focused on the risk factors of stalking, such as type of person who is most likely to be a stalker. There has been very little research exploring the risk factors that are correlated with stalking duration and stalking violence. This study adds to the literature on stalking risk assessment by examining the factors associate with stalking duration and stalking violence. The study shows that the most important predictors of persistent stalking include: (1) a victim’s income, (2) whether or not the victim had children with the stalker, and (3) whether or not the stalker wished to reconcile his relationship with the victim. The most significant correlates of whether or not a stalker committed violence while stalking include: (1) whether or not a stalker had been arrested for stalking crimes, (2) whether or not the stalker physically abused the victim in their prior relationship, and (3) whether or not the stalker had made threats against the victim.