STALKING IS ILLEGAL AND

CRIMINAL IN MOST STATES

Another important post on OS comes from ApacheSavage about the new prevalance of cyberstalking. Check out her post CyberBullies...

Erotomania:
Based on

the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th ed. (DSM-IV, 4th ed.)
The central theme of the delusion is that another person is in love with the individual
The delusion often concerns idealized romantic love and spiritual union rather than sexual attraction — “a perfect match”
The object of affection is usually of a higher status and can be a complete stranger
Efforts to contact the victim are common, but the stalker may keep the delusion a secret
Males, seen most often in forensic samples, come into contact with the law during misguided pursuits to “rescue” the individual from some imagined danger. Females are seen most often in clinical samples

Love Obsessional:
Similar to the erotomanic individuals:
The victim is almost always known through the media.
The delusion that the victim loves them may also be held
The erotomanic delusion is but one of several delusions and psychiatric symptoms — this individual has a primary psychiatric diagnosis
These individuals may be obsessed in their love, without having the belief that the target is in love with them
A campaign is begun to make his/her existence known to the victim

 Current Definitions:  A more recent categorization has been developed by Mullen and colleagues (Mullen, Pathe, Purcell, and Stuart, 1999).

Mullen et al. (1999) delineated five categories of stalkers based on motivations and context:  rejected, intimacy seekers, incompetent, resentful, and predatory.

The Rejected:   

* As a result of a relationship dissolution (i.e. estrangement, disruptions, break-ups) from an ex-partner (but inclusive of a parent, friend, or work associate) this type of stalker can be observed desiring a mixture of reconciliation and revenge.

* This individual often experiences feelings of loss, frustration, anger, jealousy, malevolence, and depression.

* The Simple Obsessional subtype given above closely approximates this type of stalker.

The Intimacy Seeker: 

* These stalkers pursue an intimate relationship with an individual perceived as their true love, but their attentions are not wanted by the object of their affection.

* The type of stalkers who fall into this category often have a delusional disorder (i.e. erotomania). Those who represent "intimacy seekers" may suffer from other disorders (i.e. schizophrenia, mania) or hold morbid infatuations.

* Erotomania and Love Obsessional best represent this category.

The Incompetent:  

* These intellectually limited and socially incompetent individuals desire intimacy, but the object of their affection does not reciprocate these feelings.

* They often lack sufficient skills in courting rituals.

* They may also display a sense of entitlement: believing they deserve a partner, but lack the ability or desire to engage in subdued, preliminary interpersonal relations.

* Another aspect of these stalkers is that they may have had previous stalking victims.

* Unlike the intimacy seekers, those in the incompetent category do not view the victim as having unique qualities; they are not infatuated with the victim -- only attracted, and do not assert that the affection is mutual.

 The Resentful:   

* The goal of this stalker is to frighten and distress the victim.

* These stalkers may also experience feelings of injustice and desire revenge. 

The Predatory:

* The power and control that comes from stalking a victim gives these stalkers a great deal of enjoyment.

* The stalker often strives to learn more about the victim.

* The stalker may even mentally rehearse a plan to attack the victim.

* Most of these stalkers are diagnosed paraphilias and, compared to the previous four categories, they were more likely to have histories of sexual offense convictions....