Following a person, calling them on the phone, sending them gifts, letters or messages, are behaviours that, seen in isolation, do not have criminal connotations or involve any crime, but what happens when someone decides to focus on one person and carry them out repeatedly, sometimes making them fear for their lives?

This is the case of Stalking or Compulsive Harassment Syndrome .

What exactly is stalking?

Although there is not yet a scientifically established definition for this phenomenon, a number of characteristics can be found that the authors agree in mentioning. According to them, this syndrome describes a pattern in which the affected person ( stalker ), who may be either male or female, obsessively and persistently pursues a victim, without the victim’s refusals changing his or her mind .

The stalker uses all kinds of means to get close to the victim, phone calls, text messages, e-mails, letters, writes her name in public places, gives her presents, spies on her at home, follows her and harasses her on the street or at her workplace, in public spaces, etc. In the most serious cases, the victim may receive threats, have their internet accounts hacked (both public profiles and emails) and/or suffer some kind of violent crime.

The effects of stalking on the person being stalked

It is not surprising, therefore, that the person who suffers this continuous harassment presents anxiety, insecurity and fear , as well as a continuous fear for his physical integrity and feelings of persecution and destabilization.

For these reasons, they are often forced to change their daily habits, their phone number and sometimes even their work and home.

Psychological profile of the stalker

Who can become a victim of the persistent harassment syndrome? The answer to this question is not without concern, as anyone can be affected and become a victim of this type of harassment. It would be logical to think that this type of behaviour only occurs in people who have previously had some kind of romantic relationship, but the reality is that it can also occur with friends, neighbours, co-workers or even a stranger. So, it seems that it is not necessary that there has been a previous degree of intimacy of the victim with the stalker.

Psychology tries to explain the causes that motivate the behaviour of stalkers . Some authors state that behind their behaviour there are feelings of anger, hostility, obsession, feelings of guilt or jealousy and malice. These feelings are the ones that have led to a classification based on which feeling predominates in each stalker.

  • Resentful Stalker : His main motivation is to frighten and upset the victim for whom he feels resentment and bitterness.
  • Stalker predator : This type of stalker stalks the victim for sexual reasons until he finds the moment to attack her.
  • Stalker rejected : In this case, he stalks the victim with vengeful intentions or to regain a relationship that the victim has broken.
  • Stalker ineffective suitor : He is usually a person with few communication skills and poor social relations, so he may become obsessed with someone he identifies with.
  • Stalker desiring intimacy : The main motivation of this stalker is an irresistible desire for a loving relationship with the victim, whom he considers his soul mate.

Extreme harassment in the Spanish Penal Code

Despite the serious repercussions that this type of behaviour can have for the victim, until relatively recently, in Spain there was no law regulating this type of harassment .

It was not until the entry into force of Organic Law 1/2015 of 30 March, which modified the previous Organic Law 10/1995 of the Criminal Code, that Stalking began to be assessed as a crime against a person’s freedom to act and which could lead to a prison sentence of between three months and two years or fines ranging from six to twenty-four months, “increasing the penalty if the victim is particularly vulnerable due to age, illness or situation”.

Bibliographic references:

  • Lorena Pérez (2016). Stalking: characteristics of harassing behaviour. Available at ForCrim: http://www.forcrim.com/stalking-caracteristicas-acoso/