Examining Stalking Experiences and Outcomes for Men and Women Stalked by (Ex)partners and Non-partners
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Examining Stalking Experiences and Outcomes for Men and Women Stalked by (Ex)partners and Non-partners TK Logan 1
# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract National data suggests that more women meet a stalking definition that includes fear or concern for safety than men. However, less research has focused on how experiences of stalking may differ for men compared to women who were stalked and were afraid or concerned for their safety. This study examined stalker gender, course-of-conduct, threats and safety efficacy, and the association of those factors on stalking-related fear and mental health outcomes for men (n = 218) and women (n = 478) stalked by (ex)partners (n = 285) and non-partners (n = 411) within the past 5 years. Results showed that women had higher stalkingrelated-fear; but they were also more likely to be targeted by male (ex)partner stalkers than men. Even so, men who were stalked by males had higher stalking-related fear, after controlling for other factors, than men who were stalked by women. Further, (ex)partner stalkers were more threatening, interfering, and assaultive than non-partner stalkers. Safety efficacy, or perceived capability in handling a threatening situation, played a key role in mental health outcomes for both men and women stalking victims. Also, one-third of stalking victims, regardless of stalker type, indicated they also experienced proxy stalking. The study results suggest that characteristics of the stalking situation impacts fear and mental health outcomes, and that assessment and safety planning should consider both features of the stalking experience and safety efficacy of victims. Future research studies need to expand the repertoire of safety planning, and their effectiveness, to better address safety as well as to ameliorate mental health consequences. Keywords Partner abuse . Stalking . Victimization . Assessment
In general, national data suggests that more women are stalked than men (Black et al. 2011; Tjaden and Thoennes 1998). Most definitions of stalking include a fear criterion and, in general, women are more fearful of repeated unwanted contacts and other unwanted behavior, and women view stalking as more pervasive and harmful than men (Lambert et al. 2013; Blinded; Reyns and Englebrecht 2012). Regardless of victim gender, being targeted with stalking takes a significant emotional and tangible toll (Logan et al. 2006; Logan and Walker 2009, 2010, 2017a, b). Stalkers intimidate and interfere in victims’ lives in ways that can have a negative impact on short and long-term mental health, economic and employment status, and social networks as well as future career, social and other opportunities (Fleming et al. 2013; Logan et al. 2006; Logan and Cole 2007; Logan and Walker 2009, 2010, 2017a, b). * TK Logan [email protected] 1
University of Kentucky, Lexington KY USA
Although a growing number of studies have focused on why women are more likely to be classified as stalking victims than men, less research has f
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