Stalking is often viewed as an isolated criminal behavior, but when it occurs in the context of intimate partner violence, it becomes a tool of coercive control—a method used by abusers to dominate, intimidate, and exert power over their partners.
Coercive control involves a pattern of behavior that includes emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical abuse, all aimed at controlling the victim’s life. Stalking, whether during the relationship or post-separation, is a particularly insidious form of this control.
Stalking During the Relationship: Monitoring and Tracking
Stalking in the context of a controlling and abusive relationship often begins long before the victim attempts to leave. Abusers use stalking to monitor their partner’s activities, track their movements, and invade their privacy. This behavior can include checking the victim’s phone, reading their emails, opening their mail, following them to work, or even installing tracking devices on their car or phone. The intent is clear: to ensure the victim is always within the abuser’s control, with no opportunity to escape or seek help.
Research has shown that stalking behaviors are prevalent in abusive relationships. A study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that 40% of women who had experienced intimate partner violence also reported being stalked by their partner during the relationship. These behaviors are often minimized by the abuser or even by the victim, who may not recognize them as stalking but rather as a sign of concern or love. However, the reality is that these actions are calculated efforts to exert dominance and control.
Post-Separation Stalking
Stalking becomes particularly prevalent and dangerous after a victim has left the relationship. When the abuser loses direct control over their partner, they often escalate their efforts to reassert dominance. Post-separation stalking can include constant phone calls, threatening messages, following the victim, damage to property, showing up uninvited at their home or workplace, and even using third parties, such as private investigators, to track or harass the victim.
The use of stalking in coercive control scenarios is particularly dangerous because it often escalates over time. What may start as frequent phone calls or unexpected visits can quickly turn into threats of violence or actual physical harm. The escalation of stalking behaviors after a relationship ends is a desperate attempt by the abuser to regain control, often leading to tragic outcomes.
The statistics around post-separation stalking are alarming. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 76% of women murdered by an intimate partner were stalked first. Furthermore, 89% of women who were physically assaulted by their abuser had also experienced stalking in the year before the assault. These statistics highlight the critical link between stalking and lethal violence in the context of intimate partner abuse.
Stalking as a Precursor to Domestic Violence Homicide
Stalking is not only a form of psychological terror; it is a strong predictor of future violence, including homicide. Research consistently shows that stalking is one of the most significant risk factors for intimate partner homicide. A recent report by the Domestic Violence Death Review Team in NSW, Australia, found that stalking was a factor in almost three-quarters of the cases where a woman was murdered after separating from her partner.
Jane Monckton Smith, Professor of Public Protection at the University of Gloucestershire, has long highlighted that stalking is a clear sign of risk escalation and is almost always a precursor in cases of domestic abuse homicide.
In her book, In Control: Dangerous Relationships and How The End in Murder, she outlines an eight-stage ‘homicide timeline’. The fifth stage involves escalating control or the advent of stalking, which may be followed by a change of focus, planning, and finally homicide and/or suicide. “Stalking is always a concerning behaviour, and in all situations indicates that fixated and obsessive patterns are present,” explains Ms Monkton Smith (p. 147).
The Role of Technology in Stalking
In the digital age, stalking has become easier and more pervasive due to the availability of various technologies. Abusers can use GPS tracking devices, spyware, and social media to monitor and control their victims. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative reports that technology-facilitated stalking is now a common tactic in abusive relationships, with 71% of domestic violence victims reporting being stalked through technology. Furthermore, a recent NSW Crime Commission report revealed that one in four individuals that purchase tracking devices have a history of domestic violence.
This form of stalking can be particularly invasive and difficult to escape. Abusers may use location-sharing features on smartphones, hacking into email accounts, or tracking social media activity to keep tabs on their victims. The constant digital surveillance leaves the victim feeling like there is no safe place, perpetuating the fear and control that defines coercive relationships.
Legal and Social Responses to Stalking
The recognition of stalking as a serious and dangerous component of intimate partner violence has led to some changes in legal and social responses. Many jurisdictions now have specific stalking laws that can be used to prosecute abusers. However, there is still a significant gap between the prevalence of stalking and the availability of effective legal remedies.
Restraining orders, for example, are a common legal tool used by victims of stalking. However, research indicates that these orders are often violated by the abuser, and enforcement can be inconsistent. According to the National Institute of Justice, 60% of restraining orders against intimate partner stalkers are violated, highlighting the need for more robust enforcement mechanisms.
Social responses to stalking in the context of coercive control also need improvement. Victims often face disbelief or minimization of their experiences, particularly when stalking behaviors do not initially involve physical violence. Education and awareness-raising about the dangers of stalking and its role in coercive control are essential for ensuring that victims receive the support and protection they need.
References
Logan, T. K., Shannon, L., & Walker, R. (2005). Stalking victimization in the context of intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(3), 279-306.
Monckton Smith, J. (2022). In Control: Dangerous Relationships and How The End in Murder, Bloomsbury Publishing.
Featured image: Stalking and coercive control. Source: Innovated Captures / Adobe Stock.
