A study of 50 stalkers by the Royal Free Hospital and University College Medical School, London, found that women are much more likely to be stalked and attacked by a former sexual partner than by a stranger. Stalking has become Britain's fastest growing crime with over 4000 prosecutions under the Protection From Harassment Act each year. The UK's first national anti-stalking police unit was authorised by Home Secretary Jack Straw in January 2000 to tackle the growing behaviour of stalking.
US crime statistics show that 1 in 12 women will be stalked in their lifetime, as will 1 in 45 men. At any one time, approximately 1 million women and around 375,000 men are the target of stalking in America. Los Angeles, home of Hollywood, is the stalking capital of the world. But it's not just famous people who get stalked. The majority of stalking cases involve ordinary people.
The stalker exhibits a familiar pattern of behaviour. Stalking often starts as a result of rejection; rejection rage and abandonment rage motivate the stalker to seek revenge through a predictable pattern of stalking behavior. The stalker, usually a loner and socially inept, becomes obsessed with their target and bombards them with messages, emails, gifts, or abuse. The stalking behaviour can last for years and the intensity of abuse increases over time. The abuse, initially consisting of psychological violence, often escalates and culminates in physical violence. It's a chilling statistic which reveals that 90% of women who are murdered were stalked by their ex-partner.
In response to the growing incidence of stalking, the UK government passed the Protection From Harassment Act in 1997. The Act has both criminal and civil provisions to deal with stalkers and stalking behaviour.
In August 2000 and in a manner similar to the sexual offenders register, the UK government has suggested that a register of convicted stalkers might be appropriate for the most serious cases. In 1998 there were 5800 convictions for stalking in the UK. "Harassment can have a devastating effect on people's lives. It is something that must be tackled" comments Home Office minister Charles Clarke. Diana Lamplugh of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust welcomed the guide. "Victims
will come forward much quicker." she says. "At the moment they are made to feel stupid and they wonder if it's their fault."
More at link:
http://www.bullyonline.org/related/stalking.htm
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