Stalking: a new form of extreme harassment

What is the psychological profile of the stalker?

Following a person, calling them on the phone, sending them gifts, letters or messages are behaviors that, when viewed in isolation, do not have criminal connotations or involve any crime, but what happens when someone decides to focus on a single person and carry them out repeatedly, sometimes making them fear for their life? 

This is the case of the Stalking or pressing harassment syndrome..

What exactly is stalking?

Although there is still no scientifically established definition for this phenomenon, there are a number of characteristics that the authors agree on. According to them, this syndrome describes a pattern in which the affected person (stalker), who can be either male or female, obsessively and persistently pursues a victim, without the victim's refusals making him/her change his/her mind..

The stalker uses all kinds of means to get close to the victim, phone calls, text messages, e-mails, letters, writes her name in public places, sends her gifts, spies on her at home, follows and harasses her in the street or at her workplace, in public spaces, etc. In the most serious cases, the victim may even receive threats, see their Internet accounts hacked (both public profiles and e-mails) and/or suffer some kind of violent crime.

The effects of stalking on the person being stalked

It is not surprising, therefore, that the person who suffers from this continuous harassment presents symptoms of anxiety, insecurity and fear, as well as a continuous fear of being stalked.The effects of stalking on the person being stalked are not surprising.

For these reasons, they are often forced to change their daily habits, their telephone number and sometimes even their work and home.

Psychological profile of the stalker

Who can become a victim of persistent stalking syndrome? The answer to this question is disturbing, since anyone can be affected and become a victim of this type of stalking. It would be logical to think that this type of behavior only occurs in people who have previously maintained some kind of romantic relationship, but the reality is that it can also occur with friends, neighbors, co-workers or even with a stranger. So, apparently, it is not necessary for the victim to have previously been intimate with the stalker.

Psychologists are trying to explain the causes that motivate the behavior of stalkers.. Some authors state that behind their behavior there are feelings of anger, hostility, obsession, feelings of guilt or jealousy and malice. These feelings are the ones that have led to a classification according to which feeling predominates in each stalker.

• Resentful stalkerTheir main motivation is to scare and upset the victim for whom they feel resentment and resentment.
• Predatory stalkerThis type of stalker stalks the victim for sexual reasons until he finds the moment to attack him.
• Rejected stalkerIn this case, he stalks the victim with vindictive intentions or to resume a relationship that the victim has broken off.
• Ineffective suitor stalkerThis is usually a person with poor communication skills and few social relationships, so he may become obsessed with someone with whom he identifies.
• Stalker desirous of intimacyThe main motivation of this stalker is an irresistible desire for a romantic relationship with the victim, whom he considers his soul mate.

Extreme stalking in the Spanish Penal Code

Despite the serious repercussions that this type of conduct can have for the victim, until relatively recently, Spain did not have a law regulating this type of harassment..

It is not until the entry into force of Organic Law 1/2015 of March 30, which amends the previous Organic Law 10/1995 of the Criminal Code, that Stalking begins to be valued as a crime that infringes on the freedom to act of the person and can carry a prison sentence of between three months and two years or fines ranging from six to twenty-four months, "increasing the penalty if the victim is especially vulnerable due to age, illness or situation".

Bibliographical references:

• Lorena Pérez (2016). Stalking: characteristics of harassment behaviors. Available at ForCrim: http://www.forcrim.com/stalking-caracteristicas-acoso/