NCJ Number
208024
Date Published
September 2004
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This Italian study examined factors that influence the perception and recognition of stalking cases, as well as the selection of intervention measures by primary helping professionals.
Abstract
Fifty general practitioners and 50 police officers completed a questionnaire that presented vignettes of women being stalked by men and various intervention options. Participants were asked to rate the degree of abnormality and illegality of the men's behaviors and to select appropriate referrals and interventions for victims and perpetrators. Attitudinal questions on stalking in general were also posed. The findings indicate that the general practitioners gave higher ratings on the abnormality of the stalking behavior; however, the judgment of illegality tended to be low in both groups. Also, general practitioners were more likely than police officers to favor mental health support for victims; police officers were more likely to favor criminal justice interventions, albeit not to the level of formal criminal justice processing. Both groups gave highest priority to mental health interventions for the perpetrators, followed by police actions. Formal arrest and prosecution as an intervention was rated low by both groups. Regarding attitudes toward stalking, both groups considered it more of a nuisance than a criminal act, which may explain why formal criminal justice intervention was rated low. Findings thus indicate that professional orientation and personal attitudes toward stalking influence the recognition of and response to it. There should be more targeted information, training, and interdisciplinary cooperation in dealing with stalking as a serious threat to victims. 1 table, 2 figures, 13 references, and appended descriptions of two of the vignettes