About Stalkers and stalking
Typologies of Stalkers
Note: individual perpetrators may not fit exactly into any one stalker category, often will
show characteristics associated with more than one category. These typologies are only
guides.
Simple obsessional stalkers
- are the most common type.
- have some prior relationship with the victim, usually an intimate one.
- ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, ex-husband/wife, neighbors, coworkers
- seeks to reestablish relationship
- Most dangerous and lethal type of stalking
- cases usually become more dangerous as contact escalates from phone calls to more
personal forms - physical approach, following, etc.
- these cases most often occur in the context of domestic violence.
Love obsessional stalkers
- no existing or prior relationship with the victim.
- stalker seeks to establish a relationship with victim will settle for negative
- most contact via correspondence - excessive letters but will travel to encounter the
victim.
- long duration of obsession
- suspects typically have mental health disorders - often males
- Celebrities stalkers often fall into this typology, does occur wit non-celebrities as well.
Erotomanic stalkers
- delusional, often mental illness present; stalker believes that they are loved by or are in a
relationships with the victim.
- the rarest category of stalkers, about 10% of cases.
- stalkers are usually female
- will engage in a variety of contact tactics, but rarely face to face.
- no cure
Vengeance/Terrorism Stalking
- does not want a relationship with the victim
- wants to elicit a particular response or change of behavior from their victims
- 2 types:
- Personal vengeance - seeks to punish for some perceived wrong
- Political stalker - using stalking as a weapon of terror to accomplish a political agenda,
force target to engage or refrain from activity. (Antiabortionists and Drs. who
perform procedures)
False Victimization Stalking
- suspect postures herself/himself as a stalking victim
- very rare
- may be a female trying to re-establish a relationship with a significant other
- common factor seen: suspect may have constant need for attention from law
enforcement/prosecutor/advocate resources.
Motives and Tactics of Stalkers
Stalkers especially the simple obsession typology are motivated by:
- power and control.
- they want to establish or reestablish a relationship
- "if I can't have you, no one can."
Common Tactics
- Unwanted phone calls, letters, text messages, or e-mails
- unwanted gifts
- repeated physical following
- observing the victim's actions for an extended period of time at their home, workplace, or
place of recreation
- damaging or disabling personal property such as cars and homes
- contacting family member, friends, or associates of the victim inappropriately
- injuring or killing pets
- breaking into the victim's home
- theft of victim's property
- slanderous statements or false reports
- cyberstalking and use of technology
- GPS devices in cars and cell phones
- prepaid cell phones or family billing plans given to victim or the children controlled by
the stalker
- some cordless phones can be monitored by police scanners and baby monitors (radio
waves)
- certain cell phones can be set on auto answer and silent mode, when the stalker calls
the victim's cell phone answers and becomes a listening device for the stalker
- call recorder cards - (Internet purchased) calls are rerouted to telecommunications
recording switch and it is activated each time a call is made to the phone number
and begins to record the call (the only thing needed is the phone number)
- spoofcards - (Internet purchase) caller ID spoofing, voice changer, call recording
- cameras in toys or gifts given to the victim and their children, remotely activated
- posting personal info on websites to encourage others to stalk
- anonymous email services that can't be tracked
- vendors of stalking products
- SPYWARE - programs, that can be remotely installed via email, to track computer
activity
Note: individual perpetrators may not fit exactly into any one stalker category, often will
show characteristics associated with more than one category. These typologies are only
guides.
Simple obsessional stalkers
- are the most common type.
- have some prior relationship with the victim, usually an intimate one.
- ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, ex-husband/wife, neighbors, coworkers
- seeks to reestablish relationship
- Most dangerous and lethal type of stalking
- cases usually become more dangerous as contact escalates from phone calls to more
personal forms - physical approach, following, etc.
- these cases most often occur in the context of domestic violence.
Love obsessional stalkers
- no existing or prior relationship with the victim.
- stalker seeks to establish a relationship with victim will settle for negative
- most contact via correspondence - excessive letters but will travel to encounter the
victim.
- long duration of obsession
- suspects typically have mental health disorders - often males
- Celebrities stalkers often fall into this typology, does occur wit non-celebrities as well.
Erotomanic stalkers
- delusional, often mental illness present; stalker believes that they are loved by or are in a
relationships with the victim.
- the rarest category of stalkers, about 10% of cases.
- stalkers are usually female
- will engage in a variety of contact tactics, but rarely face to face.
- no cure
Vengeance/Terrorism Stalking
- does not want a relationship with the victim
- wants to elicit a particular response or change of behavior from their victims
- 2 types:
- Personal vengeance - seeks to punish for some perceived wrong
- Political stalker - using stalking as a weapon of terror to accomplish a political agenda,
force target to engage or refrain from activity. (Antiabortionists and Drs. who
perform procedures)
False Victimization Stalking
- suspect postures herself/himself as a stalking victim
- very rare
- may be a female trying to re-establish a relationship with a significant other
- common factor seen: suspect may have constant need for attention from law
enforcement/prosecutor/advocate resources.
Motives and Tactics of Stalkers
Stalkers especially the simple obsession typology are motivated by:
- power and control.
- they want to establish or reestablish a relationship
- "if I can't have you, no one can."
Common Tactics
- Unwanted phone calls, letters, text messages, or e-mails
- unwanted gifts
- repeated physical following
- observing the victim's actions for an extended period of time at their home, workplace, or
place of recreation
- damaging or disabling personal property such as cars and homes
- contacting family member, friends, or associates of the victim inappropriately
- injuring or killing pets
- breaking into the victim's home
- theft of victim's property
- slanderous statements or false reports
- cyberstalking and use of technology
- GPS devices in cars and cell phones
- prepaid cell phones or family billing plans given to victim or the children controlled by
the stalker
- some cordless phones can be monitored by police scanners and baby monitors (radio
waves)
- certain cell phones can be set on auto answer and silent mode, when the stalker calls
the victim's cell phone answers and becomes a listening device for the stalker
- call recorder cards - (Internet purchased) calls are rerouted to telecommunications
recording switch and it is activated each time a call is made to the phone number
and begins to record the call (the only thing needed is the phone number)
- spoofcards - (Internet purchase) caller ID spoofing, voice changer, call recording
- cameras in toys or gifts given to the victim and their children, remotely activated
- posting personal info on websites to encourage others to stalk
- anonymous email services that can't be tracked
- vendors of stalking products
- SPYWARE - programs, that can be remotely installed via email, to track computer
activity
