More than 1 million women and almost 400,000 men are stalked annually in the United States.
81% of women who were stalked by a current or former husband or cohabiting partner were also physically assaulted and 31% were also sexually assaulted by that partner.
The average duration of stalking is 1.3 years.
2/3 of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week.
78% of stalkers use more than one means of contacting the victim.
Weapons are used to harm or threaten stalking victims in one out of five cases.
14% of stalkers are psychotic at the time of stalking.
One-third of stalkers are repeat stalkers.
More than 50 percent of stalkers have had a previous relationship with the victim (commonly referred to as intimate partner stalking).
Intimate partner stalkers use more insults, interfering, threats and violence, including with weapons, than other types of stalkers.
Stalking is one of the significant risk factors for femicide (homicide of women) in abusive relationships.
One study found that serious violence in stalking was significantly associated with former sexual intimacy, previously appearing at the victim’s home, the absence of a criminal record and a shorter duration of stalking.
A survey of university undergraduates revealed that 20% had been stalked or harassed by a former dating partner; 8% had initiated stalking or harassment and 1% had been both the target and the initiator.
A recent study identified threats, partner jealousy and former partner drug abuse as factors that were predictive of stalking violence.