STALKING
(Obsession Harassment)
Charles L. Feer, JD, MPA
Bakersfield College
Stalking (Calif. Law)
 Willful, malicious and repeated following
or harassing of another
 accompanied by a credible threat
 with the intent to place a person in
reasonable fear of safety to themselves or an
immediate family member.
 (Law Enforcement is to give a 15 day notice
to victims of the release of a stalker.)
Stalking Defined:
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Persistent unwanted contact and / or
communication with a victim
Resulting in the victim’s fear or distress.
Profile
Vast Majority of stalkers are male. (80% of
victims are female.)
27% are Females who stalk Public Figures.
Persistent stalking behavior is associated with
violent behavior. However, serious violent
episodes occur < 10% of reported stalking
incidents.
Perpetrator usually knows or is familiar with
the victim.
Stalking affects 5% - 16% of adults at some
point during their lifetime.
Profile, continued…
 Motive of most stalkers is control,
intimidating or frightening their victims.
 Nearly all stalking cases will ultimately
involve face-to-face contact.
Victims:
 Former Spouses / Intimates of stalkers are
most at risk.
 Intimate Stalkers threatened persons and
property.
 The more intimate a relationship between a
stalker and a victim, the more likely a threat
will be carried out.

Violence
 The availability of weapons or a history of using
weapons increases significantly the risk of lifethreatening violence.
 When stalking behaviors increase in frequency
or severity, there is a heightened risk for
violence.
 Sever mental disorders are not strong predictors of
violent stalking.
 Stalking violence is greater if the stalker visits the
victim’s home.
Stalking Typologies
 RECON – Relationship and Context.
Persons who stalk public persons versus
private persons.
 Type I – Perpetrator has had a previous
relationship with the victim.
 Type II – Perpetrator has had no or very
limited contact with the victim.
Victim Classifications
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1) Intimate
2) Acquaintance
3) Public Figure
4) Private Stranger
Typologies
 Intimacy-Seeking Stalkers, are socially
isolated, lonely, socially inept and filled
with an inflated sense of entitlement.
 Rejected Stalkers, (largest group ) are expartners with mixed and confusing feelings
of desire for reconciliation and revenge.
 Incompetent Stalkers regard their victims
as attractive potential partners but are not
infatuated with them.
Typologies
 Resentful Stalkers, are motivated to
frighten and distress the victim. They may
be paranoid and delusional.
 Predatory Stalkers, are potentially
sexually violent. They take pleasure in the
sense of power produced by stalking as well
as the power in sexual assault.
Stalking will usually stop…
 When the stalker finds a new love interest.
 Law Enforcement intervention.
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“Warning”
Arrest
Restraining Orders do not seem to work, and
may antagonize the stalker.
 Victim relocates.
 Research is silent on effect of ass beatings.
Questions