: Someone with poor social skills who seeks a date or sexual relationship but does so through persistent, inappropriate harassment.
: The rarest and most dangerous type. They stalk as a prelude to a physical or sexual assault, often without the victim realizing they are being watched. Recognizing the Signs Stalkers
: Motivated by a perceived injustice or humiliation. They aim to "even the score" and derive power from causing fear. : Someone with poor social skills who seeks
Stalking is defined as a repeated pattern of unwanted behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear for their safety. It is a dangerous crime that often escalates; research shows that 76% of women murdered by an intimate partner were stalked before their death. Types of Stalkers Recognizing the Signs : Motivated by a perceived
: Often suffering from a mental illness (like erotomania ), they believe they are destined to be with the victim and may misinterpret neutral signals as signs of love.
Psychologists generally classify stalkers into five primary categories based on their motivations:
Stalking behaviors are diverse and can happen in person or online (cyberstalking):