NCJ Number
221383
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 22 Issue: 6 Dated: 2007 Pages: 669-683
Date Published
2007
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Using a sample of women with civil protective orders, this study compared the characteristics of women who reported stalking (n=345) by a violent partner or ex-partner in the past year with those who did not report such stalking (n=412).
Abstract
Fifty-three percent of the women had been stalked by a violent partner during the relationship, and 47 percent reported experiencing stalking behavior from this partner in the past year. Findings consistently showed that women who were stalked by their partners had experienced psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and injury at significantly higher rates compared with women who were not stalked by their partners. In addition to experiencing more violence from their partners, women in the stalking group also had more posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety symptoms, even after controlling for severe threats, severe physical violence, and sexual violence. Women who reported stalking also experienced more violations of the protective order. There was no difference between the groups on help-seeking. The findings suggest that stalking victimization by a partner or ex-partner warrants more attention by researchers and practitioners. Study participants were recruited out of court when they obtained a civil protective order between February 2001 and November 2003 (n=757). Stalking was measured by asking women if the violent partner had ever "repeatedly followed you, phoned you, and/or showed up at your house/work/other place?" Psychological, physical, and sexual victimization were measured with items from a study that examined protective-order petition incidents. Measures of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety were included in the interviews. Help-seeking was measured by asking whether women had used specified resources in the past year to cope with the violent relationship. Protective-order violations and perceptions of their effectiveness, safety, and freedom were also measured. 7 tables and 52 references