Stalking is far more widespread in Scotland than previously thought, with more than 700 victims coming forward for a new study.
The research – conducted by Dr Lorraine Sheridan, a forensic psychologist and senior research fellow at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh – also indicates the impact of stalking is not confined to victims.
She found that in each case an average of 19 people were adversely affected and the vast majority of victims lost more than £5,000 as a direct result of hours lost at work and legal expenses.
The three most prevalent stalking behaviours were unsolicited telephone calls, which affected 72% of victims; spying on the victim, which affected 67%; and threatening to commit suicide, which affected 62%. Some 19% had their homes broken into and 18% suffered sexual assaults.
Half of the victims had had a prior intimate relationship with the person who became their stalker and more than half were forced to give up social activities and lost family or friends.
After advertising in newspapers and on television throughout the UK, victims from 47 different countries contacted Dr Sheridan, including 2,000 from the US, 1,200 from England and Wales and 700 from Scotland.
“The prevalence is similar throughout the UK but people here in Scotland seemed more desperate and kept asking what I could do to help them,” she said. “Considering it is a relatively small country, I was amazed at the numbers who contacted me from Scotland.”
The news follows the announcement last week that a specific offence of stalking is to be created in Scotland for the first time and will extend to text messages and cyberspace.
The amendment was put forward by Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, and is due to be debated as part of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill currently going through parliament.
Strathclyde Police is also training hundreds of officers to identify and investigate stalking cases following concerns the problem is getting worse.
“The Scottish Government amendment was good but it needs to have teeth,” said Dr Sheridan. “We don’t necessarily need a new law but we do need a policy change. Others are arguing it should be more sharply defined but that would be way too restrictive. Stalking is unique in that it is so nebulous.
“If we start defining it you end up defining only the most sinister behaviour rather than the overall pattern.” Stalking is far more widespread in Scotland than previously thought
