A critical analysis of stalking theory and implications for research and practice

Stalking Discourse on Reddit: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Using Big Data

Stalking, a widespread and distressing phenomenon, has recently garnered considerable attention. The advent of digital platforms has revolutionized the landscape of stalking, presenting new avenues and challenges for research. However, the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic on stalking remains underexplored, despite extensive studies on similar crimes such as intimate partner violence and domestic violence. To address this gap, our study focused on Reddit, a prominent online platform with a diverse user base and open discussion. Through an analysis of posts from the subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Stalking/), we sought to compare the discourse on stalking before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found notable shifts in stalking-related posts before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with the emergence of new topics centered on cyberstalking. We also observed that the experiences of stalking victims have significantly changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on our findings, we discussed the implications for policies to help stalking victims.

Police-Identified Psychological Distress, Substance Use, and Physical Violence Among Male Intimate Partner Stalkers

Risk factors for stalking violence are not well understood and few studies have examined psychological distress and substance use specifically. This study aimed to assess whether factors extant in police data could predict severity of stalking violence against intimate partner victims. Western Australia Police Force provided data for 603 men linked to a stalking charge relating to a female intimate partner. Binomial logistic regressions showed police-identified histories of psychological distress and drug use predicted moderate violence, but not severe violence. A co-occurring history of drug use and alcohol use was the strongest predictor of moderate violence (OR = 6.8). These findings suggest accounting for violence severity and substance type when examining stalking violence risk factors. Whether psychological distress and/or substance use were active problems for the men during their stalking behavior is unknown, however the detection of these problems may indicate an unmet need for treatment among this group.

Attachment anxiety and the dark triad increase stalking after breakups of romantic relationships through psychological maltreatment of romantic partners and reactions to breakups

This study examined whether two personality traits, attachment anxiety, and the Dark Triad, longitudinally promote stalking behaviors after romantic breakups through psychological maltreatment of partners during relationships and maladjusted reactions to breakups. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study across four waves of assessment for 1 year of individuals in romantic relationships in Japan. They completed measures of attachment anxiety, the Dark Triad, need for control, and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration at Wave 1, and measures of maladjusted reactions to breakups (i.e., anger and rumination) and stalking behaviors at a wave after breakups. The final sample consisted of 356 participants who were involved in romantic relationships at Wave 1 and left by their partners during the survey period. Correlational analysis showed that the Dark Triad at Wave 1 was significantly positively associated with future stalking behaviors, but attachment anxiety was not. Structural equation modeling showed that attachment anxiety and the Dark Triad increased future stalking behaviors after breakups through psychological IPV perpetration during relationships. Additionally, attachment anxiety increased future stalking behaviors through higher levels of postbreakup anger and rumination. Conversely, we did not find any indirect effects of the Dark Triad on stalking behaviors through these reactions toward breakups. Overall, these results suggest that it is necessary to consider personality traits that could damage intimate relationships and to focus on the quality of romantic relationships to prevent stalking after romantic breakups. These results also indicate that emotion regulation may be useful in preventing stalking caused by attachment anxiety.