The alarming offence known as "stalking" has been defined as repetitive unwanted communications or approaches by an individual, inducing fear in the victim. The process may involve repeated telephone calls, letters, personal visits or prolonged observation of the homes or workplaces of the victims. Unfortunately, the practice often results in violence, even murder, and even when this does not occur the tremendous psychological strain it imposes on the victim causes great suffering.
A letter in the Lancet for January 15, from a group of psychiatrists, describes the assessment of 50 stalkers. Of these, 20 were former sexual partners of the victims, 18 were acquaintances, and 12 were total strangers. Serious violence was involved in 22 cases, and 36 of the stalkers were diagnosed as suffering from psychotic disorder. No significant association could be detected between episodes of serious violence and psychosis. There was a significant association of previous sexual intimacy with serious violence but not one with a diagnosis of psychosis. The conclusion of the study is that the greatest danger of serious violence presented by stalkers in the United Kingdom arises not from strangers with psychotic disorders but from sexual ex-partners who do not suffer from psychosis.