Legal and psychological aspects of stalking: a review

Abstract

Stalkers can be loosely divided into those without a mental disorder (usually disgruntled ex-partners) and those who are mentally disordered. Although the former group is by far the larger, very little is known about the characteristics of those stalkers. The mentally disordered group comprises mainly those with erotomanic delusions, presenting either as a primary illness or secondary to another mental illness. The impact of stalking on victims is enormous - many develop post-traumatic stress disorder, contemplate suicide and suffer immense disruption to their lives. A sizeable portion of stalking victims are subjected to physical and/or sexual assault. Anti-stalking laws are usually ineffective against erotomanic stalkers, but may be more effective in deterring non-disordered stalkers. The efficacy of treatment for mentally disordered stalkers is mixed - in some cases the illness resolves completely while in others it persists unabated, often for decades.

Keywords:

• Stalking
• Erotomania
• Delusion
• Sexual Assault
• Mental Disorder