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 “two or more incidents - causing distress, fear or alarm - of obscene/threatening unwanted letters or phone calls, waiting or loitering around home or workplace, following or watching, or interfering with or damaging personal property by any person including a partner or family member” (Home Office, 2006)
“repeated harassing or threatening behaviour that is directed at an individual and until recently was regarded by many as a form of domestic violence” (Canter & Ioannou, 2004)
Research has indicated that most cases of stalking are a direct result of normal people who had previously engaged in an intimate relationship or had been acquaintances (Meloy, 1996). Britain has only recently acknowledged the importance of stalking with the introduction of the Protection from Harassment Act in 1997 (Canter & Ioannou, 2004).
Stalking consists of different types of behaviours; all or which are unwanted and may take the form or telephone calls, letters, e-mails and gifts (Mullen et al, 1999). Sometimes, the stalker may choose to be in close proximity to the victims’ place of work or even their home and in extreme cases, they may assault, rape or murder their victim.
Four types of interaction between the stalker and victim are thought to exist based on the literature currently available on stalking (Canter & Ioannou, 2004) and each is defined by the behavioural characteristics that they display:
- Sexuality
- Intimacy
- Aggression-destruction
- Possession
Dietz (1991) carried out a study regarding letters that were sent to celebrities that were considered threatening and inappropriate and found that they are constantly besieged with unwanted attention often from individuals with mental disorders who were ultimately searching for identity, love and contact (Canter & Ioannou, 2004).
Further Reading: IP Library
Anyone can be affected by stalking; famous or not:
Madonna
 In May 1995, Robert Hoskins was arrested for stalking. He had sent her notes, trespassed on her property and made threats.
Clare Bernal
 Clare (aged 22) was shot dead in Harvey Nichols, a London department store, on Tuesday 13th September 2005 by a former boyfriend, Michael Pech. At the time of the murder, Pech was on bail awaiting sentencing for stalking and harassing Clare.
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