Intimate Partner Stalking: Comparing the Danger Posed by Partner Stalkers Versus Non-Partner Stalkers

On this page, find:

• Overview of Differences between Partner and Non-Partner Stalkers
• Threat of Violence
• Impact of Court Intervention
• Features of Stalking
• Characteristics of Stalkers

Overview of Differences between Partner and Non-Partner Stalkers

When examining dangerousness and characteristics of partner stalking, it is important to compare differences between partner stalkers and non-partner stalkers such as acquaintances and strangers.

In one study, researchers summarize the difference between intimate partner stalkers and non-intimate partner stalkers:

[Intimate stalkers compared with non-intimate stalkers] are by far the most malignant. They have violent criminal records, abuse stimulants and/or alcohol, but are rarely psychotic. They frequently approach their targets and escalate in frequency and and intensity of pursuit. They insult, interfere, threaten and are violent. Over one-half of these subjects will physically assault their object of pursuit...Virtually all of them reoffend, and they do so more quickly than the other two groups [aquaintenance and stranger stalkers]. Almost one out of three will threaten with or use a weapon. [1]

Threat of Violence

Partner stalkers are more threatening and more violent than non-partner stalkers. This has consistently been found in a number of studies using a variety of methodologies.

• Partner stalkers are more threatening toward their victims. [2-5] They are also more likely to follow through on those threats. For example, researchers found that 71 percent of partner stalking victims were assaulted after being threatened while that number was 33 percent for non-intimate partner stalking victims who were threatened. [6]
• Partner stalkers are more likely to assault their victim. [7-14]
• Partner stalkers are more likely to assault third parties. [15]
• Partner stalkers are more likely to threaten victim property and actually damage victim property than non-partner stalkers. [16] [17]

Impact of Court Intervention

Another feature of stalking to examine is how responsive the stalker is to various interventions, especially court interventions. Partner stalkers are more likely to reoffend after a court intervention and reoffend more quickly than non-partner stalkers. [18] [19]

Features of Stalking

In addition to threats and violence, partner stalkers appear to engage in stalking behavior more frequently and intensely than non-partner stalkers.

• Partner stalkers contact and approach their victims more frequently. [20] [21]
• Partner stalkers are more insulting and interfering/intrusive in the victim's life. [22] [23]
• Partner stalkers use the widest range of stalking tactics compared to non-partner stalkers. [24-26]
  • Having a prior history of intimacy may provide the stalker with a wider array of tactics to employ during the stalking. [27-31]
  • There are several reasons partner stalkers use a wider range of tactics including: (1) many boundaries have already been crossed in the relationship making approach tactics more likely and potentially more threatening, [32] and (2) partner stalkers may know their partners' greatest weaknesses, concerns, fears and secrets as well as details about their work, friends, family, customary routines, and hangouts. [33-36]
• Partner stalkers escalate in frequency and intensity of pursuit more often than non-partner stalkers. [37]
• Partner stalkers are more persistent than non-partner stalkers. [38] For example, researchers have found partner stalking victims to be stalked an average of 2.2 years; twice as long as non-intimate partner stalking victims who had an average stalking duration of 1.1 years. [39]

Characteristics of Stalkers

Understanding what characteristics differentiate partner stalkers from other stalkers is important.

In general, the research is inconsistent or lacking in the understanding of characteristics that differentiate partner stalkers from non-partner stalking including criminal history, substance abuse, personality disorders, and delusional/psychotic disorders. [40-42]  However, some research is converging to suggest partner stalkers are more violent but less likely to be psychotic. [43-45]