STALKING: TRAINING COUNSELORS AND ADVISING CLIENTS

ByValerie Lake

Frank HammondsKarena T. Valkyrie

Troy University

Stalking

Each year 1.4 million people become victims of stalking (Robert and Dziegielewski, 2006).

Stalking can be defined as an unwanted, persistent harassment towards a specific person that causes fear, distress, or concern for safety (Logan & Walker, 2010; Sheridan, Gillett, & Davies, 2001).

StalkingRobert & Dziegielewski (2006) found that stalking normally involves the pursuit of the victim with no intention to harm them, but the eruption of violence may occur during the course of the stalking.

Logan and Walker (2009), reported in their research, that on average, stalking lasts about two years.

It was also reported that most female victims of stalking were stalked by someone that they knew (McFarlane, Campbell, and Watson (2002).

Logan and Walker (2010)Logan and Walker (2010) found that key informant perceptions suggested that many victim service and criminal justice professionals did not seem to understand the extent or gravity of the harms caused by partner stalking.

Furthermore they found that key informant reports of their advice to women being stalked were not consistent with the recommendations for stalking victims in general (Logan & Walker, 2010).

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to examine the training on stalking that counselors receive and how they match up with the advice they give to their clients, and to find out more about the stalking experiences of college students.

We hoped that the responses of the students would give us more insight on stalking in general based on their stalking experiences. We hoped to gain more knowledge on stalking and stalking training, and about the frequency of stalking locally and how individuals are affected.

Method•Participants were asked to take a survey concerning stalking.

Each participant was asked whether they were a student or a counselor before they began the actual survey.

The answer to this question determined whether that person received the counselor or student survey.

The survey should have taken no more than 20 minutes.

Method Cont’dCounselors were asked about their:

• knowledge on stalking

• information about their training on stalking

• the advice that they give out to stalking victims

• what they think can be done to improve training on stalking

• what they think the biggest mistake victims of stalking make.

Method Cont’d

Students were asked about their:

• knowledge on stalking

• If they had ever been a victim of stalking

• If they had been a victim they were asked about their stalking experience.

Method Con’t• We hoped to learn more about the

training counselors receive regarding stalking and the advice they give to clients.

• We also hoped learn about the frequency of stalking locally and how individuals are affected.

Counselor Results• The counselor survey was completed

by one counselor

• The counselor reported that he/she believed that 57% of women and 14% of men are stalked

• According to the National Institute of Justice 8% of women and 2% of men in the US have been stalked in their life.

Counselor ResultsThe counselor stated that the following are all involved in stalking:Multiple phone calls to the victim

Following the victim

Leaving gifts for the victim

Leaving voice messages for the victim

Text messages to the victim

Speaking to the victim

Breaking and entering of the victim's properties

Sending letters to the victim

Use of a third party to contact victim

Counselor ResultsThe counselor stated that the following is what he/she advises his/her clients to do:

• Contact police

• Change nothing about your habits so that you don't let the stalker affect your life

• Alter routes to and from work

• Get an unlisted number

• Inform neighborhood watch (if available) and your neighbors

• Save all evidence of the stalking-related incidents

• Contact phone company and internet server for help saving contacts from the stalker and to block further contact

Counselor ResultsThe counselor stated that the following is what he/she advises his/her clients to do:

• Stand up to the stalker

• Avoid places frequented by the stalker

• Instruct children (if any) and family members to keep personal information and any changes private

• Contact the stalker

• Encourage them to work with law enforcement and prosecutors

• If possible move or get a roommate

• Try not to be alone

Counselor Results• This particular counselor receives training 1-3 times a year and has received the training 1-3 times before.

• Anywhere from 1-2 times a month he/she has a stalking victim as a client.

Counselor Results• The counselor also believes that if there were more trainings and knowledge available that it would improve the trainings.

• Also the biggest mistake stalking victims seem to make, according to this counselor, is fighting back and not telling anyone.

Student Results• Out of the thirty eight students, twelve

have been a victim of stalking before. This is what they stated:

• Were threatened by their stalker: 4

• Received unwanted gifts: 3

• Were afraid of their stalker: 9

• Were physically attacked by their stalker: 2

Student Results• Contacted the police on their stalker:3

• Pressed charges on their stalker: 2

• Their stalker was convicted: 2

• Received advice from a counselor: 2

Student Results• The ways they were contacted by their stalker are as

followed:

• Phone Calls

• Following

• Gifts

• Voicemails

• Text Messages

• Letters

• Breaking and entering your properties

• Use of third party

Student Results• The students average on what percent of

women and men they believe are stalked was• 43.5% (ranging from 5% to 75%) of

women• 21.7% (ranging from 1% to 60%) of men.

• As far as this college campus they believe• 27.6% (ranging from 2% to 80%) of

women • 12.9% (ranging from .05% to 43%) of

men are stalked.

Student ResultsBehavior # of Students

PercentFollowing the victim 34 89.5%

Multiple phone calls to the victim 32 84.2%

Breaking and entering of the victim's properties 32 84.2%

Multiple text messages to the victim 28 73.7%

Use of a third party to contact victim 22 57.9%

Leaving voice messages for the victim 22 57.9%

Letters to the victim 21 55.3%

Leaving gifts for the victim 18 47.4%

Student ResultsBehavior # of Students

PercentSpeaking to the victim 9

23.7%

Smiling at the victim 7 18.4%

Waving at the victim 6 15.8%

ConclusionIn conclusion the counselor showed good knowledge of stalking.

However this counselor’s estimate on what percentage of women and men are stalked was higher than compared to the national average, but the advice he/she gives to his/her clients, compared to what Crime Victim Services states they should be advising the client to do, matched up pretty well.

ConclusionThe students had a pretty good idea of what stalking is and the average of their estimates on the percentage of women and men that are stalked matched up closer to the national average than what the one counselor who took the survey stated.

There were 12 students who took this survey who stated they had been stalked before. Their stalking experiences ranged from lasting 1 day to 5 years. They received threats to their lives and a lot of mental abuse from their stalkers. The 3 who contacted the police stated that they were indeed happy with the response of the police. Overall out of the 2 students who received advice from a counselor they rated it as being either neutral or helpful.

ConclusionAs stated earlier we had hoped to find out if the training that counselors receive matched up to the advice they give out to their clients who have been stalked. Unfortunately we only had one counselor take the survey, so we cannot conclude that our results are correct because all counselors may not feel the same way this counselor did.

We had a small number of student participants, but their responses helped us to learn more about the frequency of stalking locally and how stalking affected their lives.

In the future we would like to conduct the study again with more responses from counselors to really answer our question.

SAVE InformationS.A.V.E. Project and Personal Counseling Services

Phone: (334) 670-3700Fax: (334) 670-3790Mail: 113 College Drive, Troy, AL 36082E-mail: save@troy.edu

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