Social relationships are complicated, which is why it is very easy for things to go wrong sometimes. But this does not only happen with those people with whom we interact voluntarily. Sometimes problems arise with those who impose their presence and certain patterns of interaction on us.

In this article we will talk precisely about the different types of stalkers , and the different ways in which their presence affects us negatively.

What is harassment?

Harassment is not just a problem between two people: is part of a social problem , since it is a more generalized activity than it may seem. In fact, there are indications that approximately 14% of women and about 6% of men have suffered or will suffer harassment at some point in their lives.

On the other hand, the fact that more and more people are in contact with the new technologies linked to the Internet means that, more than likely, as the years go by, bullying on the net will become increasingly widespread, especially at school age.

Although there is no fully agreed definition, bullies are roughly considered to be people who regularly, and systematically, engage in behaviour that focuses on intimidating, harming or following and intruding into a person’s life in a way that is beyond their control. In most cases, no physical attacks occur, but rather the harassment is based on a disturbing presence, either in a real environment or remotely, through the Internet or other technological means.

However, within this repertoire of the category of what constitutes harassment there is room for a wide repertoire of unwanted behaviour . It is not the same to leave offensive messages painted on the façade of the home as to chase them in the street by taking pictures of the victim, for example. Depending on these nuances, the physical or psychological impact caused by this attitude may differ greatly, as well as the treatment that the judiciary will give to the matter in case of going to a judge or the police.

On the other hand, it also happens that depending on the psychological profile of the person who disrupts the victim’s well-being, the former will be more likely to perform certain actions than others. Whoever harasses usually does so consistently, complying with certain regularities. It is these behavioral patterns that can serve to differentiate between types of stalkers, as we will see below.

The different types of stalkers

One thing is clear: to know how to deal with a stalker, you must first know what kind of stalker you are dealing with. From this, it is possible to behave in a consistent way, taking into account his motivations, and to take action.

According to Dr. Ronald M. Holmes, professor emeritus of Criminology , we can differentiate between 6 types of stalker with their own characteristics and strategies to be present in the life of the victim. They are as follows.

1. Political harasser

The political harasser influences the victim’s life in a harmful way because of his political convictions . This means that he may agree or disagree with the person being harassed, or he may be important or anonymous, but the attacker gives a value to this person because of the meaning he has from the point of view of how society and resources should be organised.

For example, the political harasser may follow a parliamentarian home every day to intimidate him, or he may try to contact a journalist constantly so that he can talk to him at length, because he believes that they share the same opinions.

2. Celebrity stalker

This is one of the best known types of stalker, since he is the spitting image of the fan phenomenon taken to the extreme. These are people who are obsessed with their idols , references who have become famous, usually at a national or international level, and who try to get in touch with them at all costs. Their behavior is often unpredictable and highly influenced by emotions

3. By love humiliation

This category is made up of stalkers who feel frustrated or humiliated because, after making moves to arouse a person’s romantic interest, they feel rejected , thus making them the target of their harassment.

Cases of erotomania , a mental disorder in which the person believes that another person is in love with him or her but does not show it, can be understood as a subtype of this kind of stalker.

4. Lustful

These types of bullies are characterized by being motivated by lust and sexual arousal . Although at first it is very typical that they simply follow the victims, they often end up going further, directly attacking or even raping them.

5. Domestic Stalker

In this case, it is harassed in a relatively private environment, usually the partner or lover. These stalkers can be considered to be involved in domestic violence, either through clear attacks on the person’s dignity or through physical assault.

6. Professional

In this case, the harassment is the result of a business agreement with a third party, who pays to subjugate the victim.