Examining the role of moral, emotional, behavioural, and personality factors in predicting online shaming.

Online shaming, where people engage in social policing by shaming perceived transgressions via the internet, is a widespread global phenomenon. Despite its negative consequences, scarce research has been conducted and existing knowledge is largely anecdotal. Using a correlational online survey, this mixed-method study firstly assessed whether moral grandstanding, moral disengagement, emotional reactivity, empathy, social vigilantism, online disinhibition, machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy predict participants' (N = 411; aged 15-78) likelihood to engage in online shaming. Two hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed these predictors significantly accounted for 39% of variance in online shaming intentions, and 20% of variance in perceived deservedness of online shaming (f2 = .25 and .64 respectively, p < .001). A content analysis of an open-ended question offered further insights into public opinions about online shaming. These qualitative findings included the perception of online shaming as a form of accountability, the perceived destructive effects of online shaming, the perceived role of anonymity in online shaming, online shaming as a form of entertainment, online shaming involving 'two sides to every story', the notion that 'hurt people hurt people', online shaming as now a social norm, and the distinction between the online shaming of public and private figures. These findings can be used to inform the general public and advise appropriate responses from service providers and policy makers to mitigate damaging impacts of this phenomenon.

Examining Cyberstalking Perpetration and Victimization: A Scoping Review.

In recent years the body of literature on cyberstalking has expanded rapidly. The present work aimed to summarize the current state of the literature on cyberstalking perpetration and victimization in a scoping review. Forty-one quantitative and qualitative studies that examined variables relating to cyberstalking victimization and perpetration were collated. Following the methodology of Arksey and O'Malley (2005), an in-depth thematic analysis of the articles was undertaken. Prevalence of victimization and perpetration rates were compared and key themes synthesized. Despite examining similar young adult populations, the prevalence of victimization was found to range considerably from 0.7% (Reyns & Engelbrecht, 2010) to 85.2% (Strawhun et al., 2013) across studies. Themes were divided into two overarching classifications, factors relating to victimization and factors relating to perpetration. Deviant peer association, low self-control, previous harassment experiences and personality traits were some of the factors most frequently examined in relation to perpetration; whilst online exposure, online disclosure and guardianship were some of the factors most frequently examined in relation to victimization. Within these themes, deviant peer association and low self-control were found to consistently correlate with an increase in both cyberstalking victimization and perpetration. Guardianship and confidence online demonstrated inconsistent results. This review has summarized what is currently known and has been validated within cyberstalking research pertaining to victimization and perpetration, and has identified gaps and potential areas of future development.

Prevalence and Psychosocial Impacts of Stalking on Mental Health Professionals: A Systematic Review.

Research examining the prevalence and impacts of stalking on mental health professionals (MHPs) has grown over the last two decades. Yet only one previous review has been undertaken examining impacts on staff and focusing on clients as stalkers, with prevalence estimated between 10% and 13%. This systematic review sought to assess prevalence of stalking, and associated impacts and methods of coping reported by MHPs, irrespective of perpetrator type. The search included all healthcare professional groups working in a mental health setting, reported in English or with available translation. Secondary searches were conducted through references cited in primary papers. Of the 7,060 papers identified in five databases, 11 peer-reviewed papers met rigorous inclusion criteria and were quality appraised. Reviewed studies reported prevalence rates between 10.2% and 50%, with higher quality papers reporting a narrower band, 13.9% and 14.3%. However, substantial variability in stalking definitions, and quality of methodology precluded precise prevalence estimation. Participants within the included studies disclosed significant adverse impacts on confidence and competence at work as a consequence of their experiences. Staff invoked substantial workplace and lifestyle changes to mitigate impacts of stalking. However, studies revealed staff disclosed stalking by perpetrators other than clients, notably colleagues and intimate partners, as often or more frequently than by clients. Limitations of the included research and future directions are discussed.

Stalking Recidivism: A Comparison of Operational Definitions.

The criminal offense of stalking is somewhat different to other offenses due to the repetitive, innocuous, and often multifaceted nature of the crime. Given that stalking constitutes a number of different behaviors, such as violence and threats, research on stalking recidivism becomes difficult as recidivism can be defined in a number of ways. This study utilized a dataset of Western Australia Police Force incident reports, comprising a sample of 404 stalking offenders. Survival curves and a binomial logistic regression were used to determine time to recidivism and predictors of recidivism, using four different definitions of recidivism. Predictor variables included age of the offender, prior history of criminal charges, and offender ethnicity. The four definitions ranged from narrow (a new stalking charge) to broad (any new criminal charge). The results of the study show that stalkers reoffend quickly, however our understanding of how fast and which offender characteristics predict recidivism, is dependent on how we define recidivism. This highlights the importance of considering how stalking recidivism is defined in future works and may explain current differences in stalking recidivism findings.

What is Cyberstalking? A Review of Measurements.

The absence of a widely accepted definition of cyberstalking has resulted in studies operationalizing it in various ways, reducing the comparability and generalizability of findings. The present work examined the most common behaviors and criteria used to operationalize cyberstalking within the quantitative literature. The definitions employed by the studies were evaluated in respect of (a) whether they included a minimum requirement for the number of times the behaviors needed to be repeated in order to be considered "cyberstalking"; (b) whether victim fear was required for the behaviors to be considered "cyberstalking"; (c) the timeframe within which the cyberstalking behavior needed to have occurred; and (d) the behaviors identified as indicating cyberstalking. The results demonstrated considerable variation in the specificity of criteria used. Of the 33 studies examined, 45% specifically defined a minimum number of behavioral repetitions required to classify the behaviors as "cyberstalking," although there were some discrepancies in the number of behaviors specified across studies. Only 30% of studies included victim fear as a criterion and 70% of studies did not include specific timeframe requirements in which the behaviors needed to have occurred within. The number and description of behaviors included within scales used to measure "cyberstalking" varied widely. Some instruments utilized as many as 24 different items, whilst others identified cyberstalking through the use of two items. A series of recommendations are advanced aimed at providing criteria for defining and operationalizing cyberstalking that can be employed by future studies, with the ultimate aim of allowing greater comparability between results. From this a consistent knowledge base can be developed, and with it a deeper understanding of cyberstalking and how to counter it.

Stalkers: Specialists Versus Generalists.

AbstractIt is known that many domestic violence (DV) offenders also commit violent and nonviolent offences that are not domestic in nature. Stalking frequently evolves from DV contexts. The present study used police data to explore (i) the extent to which stalking offenders in Western Australia specialize in stalking, (ii) the frequency of involvement in DV offending by stalking offenders, and (iii) the types of offences that co-occur with stalking offences. The dataset covered 404 individuals who were identified by the Western Australia Police Force as the offender for a stalking offence between January 1st, 2003 and July 30th, 2017. Only a minority of the offenders specialized in stalking, with the majority offending in other ways against the index victim and also offending against others via a broad range of offences. Although less than 10% were recorded as having carried out domestic assaults, more than half had broken restraining orders. Like DV offenders, the stalkers in this sample were largely generalist offenders. It was not clear, however, what proportion of offences against the same index victim were directly related to stalking. Stalking is a course of conduct that often involves individual acts that may be offences in themselves. What is clearer is the finding that for many stalkers, stalking forms part of a wider pattern of antisocial activity. Those stalkers who do not specialize in stalking may be less likely to benefit from intervention efforts that are focused solely on stalking.

Perceptions of Stalking: Examining Perceivers' Country of Origin, Perpetrator-Target Prior Relationship, and the Mediating Effect of Victim Responsibility.

Research in stalking perceptions has shown certain relational biases, in which people tend to view ex-partner stalkers to be less dangerous than stranger or acquaintance stalkers. These findings are in direct contrast to those of real-life cases whereby ex-partner stalkers pose a greater threat. In addition, although stalking is recognized as a global social problem, most studies have been based on samples drawn from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic countries. The current study examined whether the prior relationship between the stalking perpetrator and target influences people's perceptions of stalking and whether cross-national differences exist between participants based in Malaysia (where there is currently no law that criminalizes stalking) and England (where stalking has been outlawed since 1997). In a 3 × 2 between-subjects design, 294 Malaysian participants and 170 English participants were presented with a vignette describing a stalking scenario in which the perpetrator was depicted as a stranger, acquaintance, or ex-partner. Participants judged the extent to which the perpetrator's behavior constitutes stalking; necessitates police intervention; would cause the victim alarm or personal distress; would cause the victim to fear the use of violence; and can be attributed to encouragement on the part of the victim. Results showed that typical relational biases existed in both samples, but Malaysian participants were less likely than their English counterparts to label any harassing scenario as serious. Perceptions of victim responsibility were found to mediate the effect of prior relationship and nationality on participants' perceptions. The findings point to the urgency of better cross-cultural understanding of harassment behavior as well as legislations against stalking.

Risk Factors for Severe Violence in Intimate Partner Stalking Situations: An Analysis of Police Records.

Stalkers can be violent, and empirical studies have sought to identify factors associated with violence perpetrated by the stalker. Most of these works view physical violence as a homogeneous construct and do not differentiate between moderate and severe violence. The present study aims to identify correlates of nonviolent, moderate, and severe physical violence within an archival sample of 369 domestically violent police incident reports, where stalking behavior was indicated. The incident reports utilized in this study occurred between 2013 and 2017, among intimate or ex-intimate partners. The present study explored 12 independent variables that have yielded mixed findings in previous stalking violence literature, as well as two previously untested factors of nonfatal strangulation and child contact. The police records were coded for severity of physical violence using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale and analyzed using a logistic regression. The regression analysis revealed significant independent associations between the outcome variable of severe physical violence and child contact, history of domestic violence, separation, nonfatal strangulation, jealousy, previous injury, and victim belief of potential harm. These results may help produce pragmatic recommendations for law enforcement agencies and other relevant bodies who seek to identify victims at risk of severe violence, increasing the potential for early intervention and prevention of physical harm. The awareness of factors that are shown to be related to serious physical violence may assist first responders in recognizing which victims may be at risk of serious harm, as well as effectively allocating any appropriate resources to reduce and prevent harm.

Who Are the Stalking Victims? Exploring the Victimization Experiences and Psychosocial Characteristics of Young Male and Female Adults in Hong Kong.

Most stalking studies are conducted in the West. Limited information is available on victims of stalking from the Asian continent. This study specifically explored the victimization experiences of young male and female adults in Hong Kong. Using a large sample of university students (N = 2,496) aged between 18 and 40 years, the gender distribution of stalking incident characteristics was examined, along with prevalence of various stalking behaviors, and victim-offender relationships by types of stalking behaviors. The differential role of demographic and psychosocial characteristics in stalking victimization experience was also explored. The lifetime prevalence rate of stalking victimization was 8.2%, with a higher estimate in females than males (11.6% vs. 3.8%). The sample analyzed in this study was 196 stalking victims. Although surveillance-oriented behaviors were most frequently reported by both males and females, significant gender differences in types of stalking behaviors were noted. Multivariate analyses indicated that increases in age and levels of self-esteem were correlated with an increased probability of experiencing stalking victimization, while being a male and higher levels of life satisfaction were related to a lower likelihood of falling prey to stalking victimization. This study concludes with a call for anti-stalking legislation in Hong Kong given the devastating nature and consequences of stalking victimization.

A Behavior Sequence Analysis of Victims' Accounts of Stalking Behaviors.

Stalking is a complex issue involving multiple behaviors and interactions between the stalker and their target. Research has typically involved grouping risk behaviors related to stalking; however, the research question in the current research was to what extent a temporal method would allow investigators to map the dynamics of stalking. Behavior Sequence Analysis is a form of systems analysis that examines sequences of events over time, providing statistically significant results from complex real-world data. The Behavior Sequence Analysis method was applied to 39 participants' detailed accounts of stalking written in online forums. The study provides illustration of the antecedents of stalking and how it may initiate and develop through to end of contact. Both stalker behavior and decisions made by victim were included in the models. The results show multiple patterns of stalkers' behaviors; however, the results also clearly show that victims need not perform many behaviors for stalkers to continue with their actions. A main finding was how many behavior transitions occurred before victims felt a significant problem. A large number of participants indicated that they (repeatedly) reported their case of stalking to police and authorities; however, they were mostly dismissed or felt that police did not stop the stalker's actions. A major implication of the current research is providing a novel method to produce a framework that may be used to operationalize definitions of stalking based on coherent frameworks of stalkers' behaviors over time.

The Phenomenology of Group Stalking ('Gang-Stalking'): A Content Analysis of Subjective Experiences.

Epidemiological data suggest that as many as 0.66% of adult women and 0.17% of adult men in the western world may suffer the subjective experience of being group-stalked ('gang stalked') at some point in their lives. Yet the gang stalking experience has been subject to little scientific study. This paper reports an attempt to elicit the core phenomena involved in gang-stalking by allowing them to emerge de novo through the qualitative analysis of accounts of individuals who describe being gang-stalked. Fifty descriptions of gang-stalking that satisfied study inclusion criteria were identified from the internet and subjected to content analysis. Twenty-four core phenomena were elicited, together with 11 principal sequelae of the experience of being gang-stalked. These were then divided into groups, producing a framework for the phenomena of the gang-stalking experience. The results were compared with frequencies of the same categories of experience then extracted from the original data of the only previous study on gang-stalking phenomena. Whilst the methodology of the current study was more rigorous, the core phenomena were similar in each. The current study confirmed the seriousness of the sequelae of the gang-stalking experience. These support the need for further exploration of the phenomenon, for which this study forms a basis.

Stalking and Intrusive Behaviors in Ghana: Perceptions and Victimization Experiences.

Most studies of stalking and other forms of intrusive behavior are conducted in the West. Little is known about the phenomenon in the African context. The present work represents the first dedicated stalking study conducted in Ghana. Based on a sample of 371 male and female university students, this study explored the gender distribution of overall perceptions and experiences, and frequency and duration of personal worst experiences of stalking and intrusive behavior. Several significant gender differences were noted. Females were generally more likely than males to perceive a range of intrusive activities as unacceptable. Females and males were equally likely to have experienced aggression and surveillance, and unwanted attention types of behaviors, while males were more likely than females to have experienced persistent courtship and impositions, and courtship and information seeking types of behaviors. In respect of their worst experience of intrusive behavior, females were more likely to report unwanted communications, aggressive courtship, property damage, and harassment of third parties, whilst males were more likely to have been threatened with harm. More than half of our participants (55.5%) were judged to have been stalked. Given the devastating nature and impact of stalking victimization, the findings may provide impetus to increase awareness of stalking in Ghana and add urgency to calls for anti-stalking legislation.

Is This Stalking? Perceptions of Stalking Behavior Among Young Male and Female Adults in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Most studies of stalking are conducted with samples from individualist cultures. Little is known about the phenomenon within collectivist cultures. The present study is arguably the first stalking study conducted in Hong Kong. Specifically, this study investigates a large sample of Asian college students' (N = 2,496) perceptions of stalking behavior, potential reasons for stalking, and coping strategies that may be employed by stalking victims. Associations between these variables and gender and culture (Hong Kong vs. Mainland China) were also explored. Gender was more strongly associated with perceptions of stalking behavior than was culture. Gender was less strongly associated with perceptions concerning motivations for stalking and the effectiveness of coping strategies that may be employed by stalking victims than was culture. Effect sizes for all associations with culture were small, perhaps due to a high degree of similarity between the two cultures examined. The findings are generally supportive of similar results produced by previous work conducted within individualistic Western cultures, suggesting that stalking and the way that it is perceived may be universal in nature. This study concludes with the argument that legislation against stalking needs to be extended to non-Western countries, such as Hong Kong and Mainland China, as antistalking laws are relatively scarce outside Western industrialized countries.

Perceptions and Experiences of Intrusive Behavior and Stalking: Comparing LGBTIQ and Heterosexual Groups.

The present research employed a mixed-methods approach and quasi-experimental design to examine perceptions and experiences of intrusive behavior (comprising 47 individual intrusive activities) within individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ) with a matched (in terms of age, sex, and income) sample of individuals identifying as heterosexual ( N = 214). Despite only minor differences between the LGBTIQ and heterosexual groups concerning perceptions of the acceptability of intrusive behavior, the LGBTIQ group was more likely to report experiencing a range of individual intrusive activities and to report experiencing stalking victimization (self-reported rates of 35.5% vs. 15.0%). Participant sex and personal experience of being stalked were minimally associated with perceptions of the acceptability of intrusive behavior. Sexual orientation significantly predicted whether a person had experienced stalking victimization, whereas participant sex did not. The qualitative analysis revealed that the two groups shared some experiences of intrusive behavior, whereas others represented a unique subset of intrusions that related to sexual orientation.

Female undergraduate's perceptions of intrusive behavior in 12 countries.

The present study examines young women's (N = 1,734) perceptions of the unacceptability of 47 intrusive activities enacted by men. Female undergraduate psychology students from 12 countries (Armenia, Australia, England, Egypt, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scotland, Trinidad) indicated which of 47 intrusive activities they considered to be unacceptable. Responses were compared with parasite-stress values, a measure of global gender equality and Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures. There was no unanimous agreement on any of the items, even for those relating to forced sexual violence. Cluster analysis yielded four clusters: "Aggression and surveillance" (most agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable), "Unwanted attention," "Persistent courtship and impositions," and "Courtship and information seeking" (least agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable). There were no significant relationships between the "Aggression and surveillance" or "Courtship and information seeking" clusters and the measure of gender equality, Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures or the measure of parasite stress. For the "Unwanted attention" and "Persistent courtship and impositions" clusters, women residing in countries with higher gender inequality and higher parasite-stress were less accepting of behavior associated with uncommitted sexual relations, and women in more individualistic societies with higher levels of gender equality were less accepting of monitoring activities. Culture may take precedence over personal interpretations of the unacceptability of intrusive behavior that is not obviously harmful or benign in nature.

Young women's experiences of intrusive behavior in 12 countries.

The present study provides international comparisons of young women's (N = 1,734) self-reported experiences of intrusive activities enacted by men. Undergraduate psychology students from 12 countries (Armenia, Australia, England, Egypt, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scotland, and Trinidad) indicated which of 47 intrusive activities they had personally experienced. Intrusive behavior was not uncommon overall, although large differences were apparent between countries when women's personal experiences of specific intrusive activities were compared. Correlations were carried out between self-reported intrusive experiences, the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM), and Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures. The primary associations were between women's experiences of intrusive behavior and the level of power they are afforded within the 12 countries. Women from countries with higher GEM scores reported experiencing more intrusive activities relating to courtship and requests for sex, while the experiences of women from countries with lower GEM scores related more to monitoring and ownership. Intrusive activities, many of them constituent of harassment and stalking, would appear to be widespread and universal, and their incidence and particular form reflect national level gender inequalities.

International Perceptions of Relational Stalking: The Influence of Prior Relationship, Perpetrator Sex, Target Sex, and Participant Sex.

The present study examines the influence of prior relationship on perceptions of relational stalking in the context of both opposite- and same-sex scenarios using community samples from Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The study used a quasi-experimental 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 (prior relationship × perpetrator sex × target sex × participant sex × country) independent measures design. Participants comprised 2,160 members of the community, each receiving 1 of 12 versions of a hypothetical scenario and responding to scale items concerning the situation described. The findings support previous research, with scenarios involving a stranger (rather than an acquaintance or ex-partner), and scenarios involving a male perpetrator and a female target, being considered the most serious. The findings further indicate that female observers identify more closely with the role of the victim and male observers identify more closely with the role of the perpetrator, regardless of victim and perpetrator sex, and that differences in the findings across the three countries may be affected by location to a small but significant degree.

Experiences of stalking in same-sex and opposite-sex contexts.

Most stalking literature reports on male stalkers and female victims. This work examines stalking experiences in 4 sex dyads: male stalker-female victim, female stalker-male victim, female-female dyads, and male-male dyads. Respondents were 872 self-defined victims of stalking from the United Kingdom and the United States who completed an anonymous survey. The study variables covered the process of stalking, effects on victims and third parties, and victim responses to stalking. Approximately 10% of comparisons were significant, indicating that sex of victim and stalker is not a highly discriminative factor in stalking cases. Female victims of male stalkers were most likely to suffer physical and psychological consequences. Female victims reported more fear than males did, and most significant differences conformed to sex role stereotypes. Earlier work suggested stalker motivation and prior victim-stalker relationship as important variables in analyses of stalking, but these did not prove significant in this work, perhaps because of sampling differences.

Police and public perceptions of stalking: the role of prior victim-offender relationship.

One in every five women will experience stalking in their lifetime. Research suggests the lifetime prevalence rate ranges between 12% and 32% for among women and 4% and 17% among men. The majority of stalking victims have had some form of prior relationship with their stalker. The aim of the current study was to examine whether victim-offender relationship influences police officers' perception of a stalking event. Police officers (n = 132) and lay participants (n = 225) read one of three stalking scenarios where the nature of relationship between the victim and the stalker was manipulated to reflect an ex-intimate, work acquaintance, or stranger relationship. Results revealed that, for both samples, prior victim-offender relationship affected the extent to which the scenario was perceived to involve stalking behavior, with the stranger stalker scenario endorsed as most strongly constituting a case of stalking. Officer experience of stalking cases mitigated some prevalent stereotypical beliefs concerning stalking (e.g., victim responsibility). The findings suggest that further training is necessary to combat common misconceptions surrounding stalking. The importance of understanding how both lay and police responses are influenced by the perceived victim-offender relationship is discussed in relation to the development of public awareness campaigns and police officer training.

Key questions to consider in stalking cases.

Stalkers can inflict severe injury upon and have been known to kill their victims. Based on the detailed responses of 1,565 stalking victims, a set of key questions was produced with the aim of increasing the opportunities of police officers to identify potentially dangerous stalkers. Despite marked methodological differences and the inclusion of a large number of variables, regression analyses for significant correlates for physical assault per se and for severe violence largely reflected the results of earlier works. For severe violence (n=136), the most important correlate was a high level of victim fear, suggesting that victims are adept at assessing their own risk of stalker violence. The set of 11 questions performed well on preliminary tests and is presented here.