Stalkers can have a variety of backgrounds, motivations and mental illnesses. Still, attempts at classification can be useful in helping victims protect themselves.
Stalking Behavior
Stalkers can be young or old, male or female, professional or unemployed. But most are men who are isolated, socially inept, and often mentally ill. The crime can be motivated by different types of psychopathology, including psychosis and severe personality disorders, and stalkers pursue their victims for a variety of reasons, but all tend to have a narcissistic sense of entitlement to the victim.
Australian stalking expert, Dr. Paul Mullen, found from his study of 145 stalkers, reported in the August 1999 American Journal of Psychiatry, that half the stalkers never had a long-term relationship, and a third were separated or divorced. To facilitate diagnosis and treatment, he classified stalkers into the following five categories.
Types of Stalkers
The Rejected Suitor
Sometimes a partner rejected by their spouse or lover may vacillate between overtures of reconciliation and revenge. They have a narcissistic sense of entitlement and belief this is the only relationship they are going to have. More than 80% of rejected stalkers in Mullen’s study had personality disorders. Therapeutic treatment of the rejected stalker involves helping him or her come to terms with the end of the relationship.
The Intimacy Seeker
The intimacy-seeking stalker intends to establish a relationship with his "true love" regardless of her wishes. More than half of the intimacy seekers Mullen evaluated were delusional, believing that their love was reciprocated, and nearly a third had a personality disorder and a delusion that their quest would be ultimately successful. Legal actions do not work well with intimacy seekers, who may justify their behavior with the belief they must pay a price for true love. The court may order treatment, which should focus on treating their delusions or other mental disorders.
The Incompetent Suitor
This type is typically a man who had been rebuffed after asking a woman for a date. He’s often socially inept, and when rejected, begins to stalk with the hope that his persistent behavior will change the woman’s mind. The incompetent suitors can be responsive to judicial sanctions but are also likely to relapse.
The Resentful Stalker
These offenders express anger in response to a perception that they have been humiliated or treated unfairly by the object of their obsession. They thrive on having a sense of power and control over the victim, and are hard to treat because they often see themselves as the victim.
The Predatory Stalker
The six predatory stalkers in Mullen’s study admitted to preparing to sexually attack a random victim. This type derives pleasure from gathering information about the target and fantasizing about the assault. They often have prior convictions as sexual deviants.
Why Classify Stalkers?
These five categories are, by no means, agreed on by all experts on obsession and stalking. Those engaging in stalking behaviors can have a variety on backgrounds, motivations and mental illnesses. Still, attempts at some type of classification can be useful. A better understanding of different types of stalking behavior may help victims better protect themselves, assist law enforcement in profiling and capturing stalkers and also aid mental health and legal systems in assessing the risk of recidivism and likelihood of rehabilitation.
Stalking Danger
Too often victims do not fully appreciate the true danger of being stalked, and this can be a fatal mistake. If you feel uncomfortable with the repeated advances, gifts or communications of an “admirer,” trust your instincts, and err on the side of caution.
Douglas, J, and Olshaker, M. Obsession. Published by Scribner (1998)
The copyright of the article Stalking Crime: Types of Stalkers in Personality Disorders is owned by Tami Port. Permission to republish Stalking Crime: Types of Stalkers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I am being stalked by my ex boyfriend. He is trying to turn my friends
against me. He is going all over town and telling people lies about me. He
calls me constantly and text me. He rides by my house all hours of the
night and calls and tells me about it.I have had to go so far as to hide my
car so he would leave me alone. He meets women on the net and then he
eventually breaks up with them and does this all over again.His 4th ex wife
called me and told me he has multiple personality disorder. and that is why
all of them have left him. He flattend his tires and blamed it on me and
told all of my friends that i did this.They dont believe him and they think
he is completly nuts. im scared to come home anymore. I dont know if he is
gonna be waiting on me and im afraid to even leave work to go to my car
because im afraid he will be in the parking lot. T.S.
Jun 7, 2008 11:45 PM
Guest :
RUUN!!! Jk Jk. (Couldn't Resist)
---------
I have a
stalker. It all started about 9 months ago, when an elderly man (in his
40's?) Moved in about 7 houses down from mine. I am 14 years old, and every
night he is outside my window. I have gravel outside and I can hear when
he's out there. My Neighbor - an elderly lady - told me that she has heard
and seen him IN MY YARD through all hours of the night. My parents are
fully aware of the situation, and we have called the police over a dozen
times. There are further reasons why I believe that the new man that moved
into my neighborhood is the man stalking me, but I won't specify why.
Around 1:00 AM on February 1st, I believe he tried breaking into my house
(The reason I say "I believe" is because I am not sure if it was
him trying to break in, or a random group of other males). All through the
night somebody would tap on my window or my sisters, they would kick the
wall outside of my room so it sounded like a *THUMP* and at first we just
thought it was him just watching us, or doing what ever he does when he's
out there. "Harmless"... I suppose. But a little while later, i'm
not sure if it was 10 minutes or two hours after that, but simultaniously
people started banging on my back door, my side window, my sisters window,
and my bedroom window. Obviously there were more than one
"stalker," intruder, robber... idc - pick one. If they wanted to
break in, they would have. But they didn't. Garunteed they were just trying
to spook us - but why? There were atleast half a dozen cop [cars] at my
house that night. Not only at my house, but patroling - looking - for whom
ever was trying to "break into" my house. The only reason for
them leaving is my mom pulling a tiny glock pistol out of her bedside
droor, and pointing it at a tall, middle weight/(age?) man. she didn't fire
- I don't think I would have had the courage to either. They Left. Later
that week while my mom was talking to one of our neighbors about the
"intrusion," our neighbor notified my mom that on that specific
night, the man whom I believe to be my stalker, was having a
party/getogether - whatever - at his house, and 2 + 2 = 4.
That
was.. idk 3 months ago? 4. 4 months ago. nothing has really changed since
then, just more hearing tapping on my window, this that and the other. but
one day he was parked outside my house, taking pictures at night. with
flash on. Why? "To plan," the cops said. "Grade 5 Stalker.
We can't let him get to a grade 6."
Feb 21, 2009 7:25 PM
Guest :
To the 14-year-old who posted below: I am very sorry about your
situation. On a separate note, however, men in their 40's are not
"elderly." I wish you the best wtih your situation, meaning I
hope there is an arrest soon.
Feb 23, 2009 11:45 AM
Guest :
I have had a stalker for 6 years. I can not get any help from anyone. My husband thought for a long time that I knew who my stalker was and
wouldnt take it seriously. The police wont do ANYTHING. Noone knows the
horror you feel being stalked especially if you dont know who it is.I dont
have any idea who this is. Ive seen him outside my house,he has tapped my
phones, let me flowers, etc... I wish there was someone who would take this
seriously before he takes the next drastic step if that is his plan. If I
make it through this not only physically but mentally it will be a miracle.
But then again, they say miracles happen everyday right? YP
Mar 4, 2009 2:09 AM
Guest :
I have a stalker, it started a few nights ago. He came by my house and sat
in my yard. I don't know what to do, I have went to the police but they
said that scince I don't know his name that there is nothing they can do.I
told them what he looks like, he has came by my job. So until the police
can catch him my gun will stay by my side.
Mar 15, 2009 11:36 AM
Guest :
I have a stalker for over 2 years. The problem is that he is very disturbed
and mentally ill. He has schizophrenia. He has told people that he is in
love with me and he has pictures of me. He leaves me gifts and cards. I
believe that he has stolen me from but can't prove it. He tries to talk
about to my friends but they know not give out any info. He has been
transferred to another building but he is always over here.He tells people
that I tease him with my clothes and demeanor; people have told me I should
expect his behavior because am an exotic woman, a femme fatale. I don't
that anyone understands me fears.
Jun 2, 2009 10:53 AM
Guest :
Hi! I'm being stalked by this girl who's "jealous" of me. She
likes this guy who doesn't like her but likes me and cant handle the
rejection. She keeps talking about me, making up stories inside her head
that I have never said at all! She's friends with the guy I like, trying to
manipulate him to dislike me. She keeps driving in a white truck, ripping
her hair out of her head, acting all crazy! I haven't talked to her in 2
months, I deleted her off of facebook bc she's crazy, Ive made no contact
about her at all. She keeps saying to keep her name out of her mouth, I'm a
loner! I'm not talking to anyone about her at all. I dunno how this implies
towards me bc this isn't an ex boyfriend or anything but its a girl
stalking me, its kinda weird bc I don't know what stalking this would fall
under.
Jul 21, 2009 3:12 PM
Guest :
I am going crazy it feels.I have been stalked for over two months.
Sleepless nights and long tired days is my reality when I stay at my home
which I bought 3 months ago.It began when I started feeling watched. I have
never been that paranoid woman living alone so I just added it up to be a
kid or animals...the burger king wrappers and cups..the thuds...all of it
until the night that he attempted to pull out or cut my phone line. I
grabbed my cell and called the cops of course talking rather loudly. I
believe this scared the stalker off.It has not stopped and the police are
not taken it serious enough. My boyfriend decided to hide out in the woods
trying to get a view of the persons doing this...the stalker tried to get
him from behind...and my boyfriend turned the man ran...or hide not
sure...this has contuinued..ppl telling me they seen a man standing across
the road in the dark staring at my home for 10-15 minutes until they scared
him off by flashlights.Motion lights have not worked for me...I have 8
witnesses to all this..we have realized at times someone works with my
stalker{prob. thinking it is for kicks andnot realizing how seriousmy
stalker is about this}...ppl have heard them talking saying "go that
way" and one even said hey to mh boyfriend. My boyfriend was inside
and the man outside so therefore no luck again.This just keeps getting
worse...stealing my things even that the stalker seen outside even dog
dishes..my dog has gotten so use to most the noises he stopped alerting me
except when the guy attempts to get in my door by checking if it is locked
or not.The laws need to be strickter on this.The cops have said they can
not help till the guy is succeeding getting inside my home or we get a
visual.Since we only have suspects but do not know who it is and we can not
catch him this is hard to hear...What has to happen to me before they do
something??I have considered moving but I am scared I don't have that much
time the rate the stalker is esclated..If anyone has any advice other than
dogsjournals,cops and staking out looking please let me know..We have tried
all that stuff and so much more no luck..
Jul 27, 2009 6:04 AM
Guest :
I am being stalked by the financee of a guy from work that I dated casually
for 6 weeks. He started dating the girl NEXT DOOR about 2 weeks after I
told him I wanted to be friends. He never told me....hmmm. Freaky things
started happening at hime and work- enough that I QUIT the job to get aqay
from him (not knowing why he all the sudden stopped talking to me) and had
to move to my mom's. Get this- HER mom lives next door. Now she is saying I
stalk her in a town I grew up in. I see her friends cars drive by again and
again everywhere I go. I have tried to say I don't want the guy. They take
pics on their cells ( 'got it' got what? I'm going down the street? I broke
up with him??? I quit the job?), honestly I don't know what to do. She even
got into my email and uses ones from before I knew she existed to 'prove' I
want him! I can't even get back into my account! I tried to be nice- I
thought it was not her fault he was too lazy or too mean to go down the
street but the girl is convinced I am after her man! Is there anything that
I can do???
Sep 4, 2009 11:19 AM
Guest :
I Have a stalker also..I am transgender..and my stalker is also but she is
40 and I'm 25. I was dating her ex gf and for some reason my stalker
decided to attack me because her ex dumped her then 3 weeks later started
dating me.
I never knew the stalker..but they looked up my name
on google and found everything they called about me, my family, then found
out my family's address then went to my mum and said they needed infomation
about me because I was doing credit card fraud (1st lie)..so my mum thought
this person was a police officer so she handed over my mobile, school
stuff, job history etc...
Then they started sending me death
threats via mobile, online forums, and Posting on myspace on blobs that (I
broke into there house, I was a active hacker and was doing online credit
card fraud) which again are all lies..
I was into hacking and I
work in Computer Security now, I got into trouble in 2003 for fraud but it
wasn't my fault..people tricked me to send fraud goods to my house and
expected me to send to them..but I didn't instead I sent back to the
company they came from. The Detectives knew I had nothing to do with it so
I didn't get a record which was lucky..but they never caught the people and
for a stupid reason the company which was used to buy stuff from told me I
had to pay them $2000 cause the hackers were never caught so in a way they
frauded me out of $2000 when the Detectives said I shouldn't of had to pay
anything..so stupid.
Anyway this stalker tried scaring me over
and over saying they told the police about me and I will be getting
arrested any day soon..I have been to the police many times asking of such
claims and they know nothing of it, instead I gave them all the death
threats, postings etc.
Myspace took down the blogs with help of
Australian police.
But I still get pain because this person
still continues to threaten me..now by posting on there website about me
and I have no right to take it down as its there site, there hosting, and
domain.
Even though I work in IT Security I do get scared, as
this person is much older and smarter then me with allot of income behind
them.
I get allot depressed because of the way my life is atm,
family not accepting me as much, now a stalker attacking me mentally...I
tried ending my life 2 times in the last 5 months..1 time I nearly did by
overdose.
The police aren't doing anything cause its all online,
even though I got my mum to put a statement down they still won't do
much. Alisha
Sep 9, 2009 11:10 AM
Guest :
My boyfriend ex is stalking us. She calls all night and day. She says she
has pictures of us togather. She calls and blocks her number hoping he
will answer the phone. She has her sister calling him. She sends numerous
text messages all the time. She even has called his mom's job asking his
mom about him. The scary part is she doesnt live here, she lives about 2
hours away, but she knows stuff about us as if she did.I tell my boyfriend
that we need to do something but he insist that she isnt going to do
anything. YEAH RIGHT!!! I don't know what to do i told him he needs to get
his cell number and the house number changed but I don't even know if that
will even help. Hopefully something will give and she will move on with her
life and give me mine back. G.M.
Oct 26, 2009 9:19 PM
Guest :
I have a creepy ass stalker. He's my neighbor, and his window is right
under mine cuz I'm on the 2nd floor. Last week, I woke up to turn my alarm
off (5:30 am) and close my window. I saw him standing there almost in an
observing pose with his iphone out. I saw the light, freaked out, and he
moved out of the frame. When I got home that day, they put up black covers
on the window. Today, it's back to normal again. But two months ago, there
were footsteps on my roof above my room, before my mom bought a lock for
the escape latter. Last summer, while I was at school, I was in a garden
club n decided to grow some Basil. Three weeks later, he planted basil
right under my window and a week later I woke up during the night to see
him staring up at me through my window (outside)
creepy?????????????/Someone give me some advise, I'm scared
Oct 28, 2009 2:31 PM
Guest :
is taking pictures of random people but nothing more considered
stalking?
Nov 3, 2009 11:47 AM
Guest :
Back when I was in college and still living with my parents I was stalked
by an ex-boyfriend after we broke up and the only thing that helped me was
moving away leaving no forwarding address. Much more recently, I was
virtually stalked and harassed on the Internet by an angry, narcissistic
ex-friend. The only thing that helped that situation was to never, ever
respond to any hostile posts from "anonymous" posters. It took
over 3 years, but she finally got bored and left me alone. If you are
being stalked in person, though, you could be in real physical danger and
you do need to protect yourself. There are Anti-stalking sites with lots
of good advice. Information is power: read up about anti-stalking tactics
and protect yourself.
Aug 21, 2007
