NCJ Number
228157
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 26 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 476-503
Date Published
September 2009
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This study explored the extent to which young adults have experienced stalking perpetration and victimization.
Abstract
Highlights of study findings include: (1) almost 27 percent of respondents reported being victims of stalking during their lifetime; (2) the prevalence rate for stalking perpetration indicated that almost 6 percent of the sample reported perpetrating stalking during their lifetime; (3) gender differences for stalking victimization indicate that many men, almost one-quarter, were victims of stalking, but the majority were women; (4) almost no difference was found in frequency of stalking behaviors between genders for victims; (5) within this sample, the experiences of males and females for victimization and perpetration were reasonably similar; (6) sexual assault victimization, intimate partner violence victimization, respondent age, and age of stalking victimization onset were significant predictors of stalking victimization seriousness; and (7) results for duration indicate that stalking seems to be an isolated occurrence for victims as well as perpetrators. With study limitations noted, this study was a step forward in furthering knowledge about the etiology of stalking careers over the life course. While research has begun to address stalking victimization and perpetration, much remains unknown about the basic descriptive aspects of stalking with research not yet having explored stalking victimization and perpetration using a life course perspective. This study examined trends in age of onset for stalking victimization and perpetration, the duration of stalking-related behaviors, and the relationship between those behaviors and other types of crime over the life course using data from a sample of young adults. Figures, tables, and references