Stalking: From ‘goal orientation’ to ‘addiction’ - why people become perpetrators

Last year more than 2,600 convictions were handed out for stalking. But the true number of those committing the offence is likely to be a lot higher, with 1.4 million reporting falling victim to the crime last year alone.

Stalking can take many forms, from small unwanted gifts and repeated, unwanted messages to sinister stakeouts. 

Experts liken being a victim of the crime to serving a prison sentence, explaining: “It traps victims completely within their lives.” 

But what actually compels people to stalk?

Jane Monckton Smith, a Professor of Public Protection at the University of Gloucestershire who is internationally renowned for her research into homicide, coercive control and stalking, told ITV West Country stalking can be ‘goal oriented’.  

She explained: “So stalking can be goal oriented so that they have a goal. It's not just random. They are actually trying to achieve something with that stalking. 

“So a very simple goal might be, for example, I want to make this person really scared, or I want to destroy their reputation. I want them to be publicly destroyed.” 

Lydia Little, a researcher in Psychological Trauma who works for FearFree, added: "There is something unusual about stalking.

"We've looked and looked and looked at all of our cases to try and predict when this may happen, because obviously that's an important part of safeguarding people. 

"We think, for a particular profile of stalker, the dopamine hits for them are so big it can be equated to an addiction."

Psychologists and experts in the field often class stalking by five different categories based on the motivation behind the behaviour. Those five categories are: 

Rejected: Someone who is unable to let go following the breakdown of a relationship. Often driven by revenge and hopes of a reconciliation, they target their ex-partners and sometimes those close to them as well.

Resentful: When a person seeks to control by instilling fear or seeks revenge for perceived wrongs. These stalkers are often paranoid or delusional and can target acquaintances or strangers.

Intimacy seeker: Someone who craves an emotional connection. These people often target strangers and can be delusional and lonely.  

Incompetent Suitor: An often socially awkward person who is persistent in communication and frequently misreads signals. These people may target acquaintances or strangers and may not realise the harm they are causing.  

Predatory: A person who stalks for sexual gratification or violence, often targets women that are strangers. 

Interventions Alliance are a team of professionals who create intervention programmes to address behavioural challenges.

Among their work is the Compulsive Obsessive Behaviour Intervention (COBI), an intensive programme designed for individuals exhibiting obsessive and controlling behaviours, such as stalking and harassment.

Michael Baker, Deputy Chief Executive and lead for Research and Communications at Interventions Alliance, said for the programme to be successful it was crucial to understand the typology behind the stalker. 

He told ITV News: “It's really important to understand the motivations of a stalker to be able to treat them effectively. 

“You have to understand the causes of the motivations of the stalker before you can tackle the behaviour.”

His message to anyone recognising these behaviours in themselves was to seek help to change their behaviour. 

He said: “Sometimes people know that their behaviour is wrong and they would like to get help. 

“And there is, in some parts of the country, help available and I would encourage you to look at your police and crime Commissioner website. 

“I think we should encourage people to self-refer to these kinds of programs as well, because there is funding out there for people who know they need some help.”