Adolescent Stalking: A Review

Abstract

Stalking is a dangerous and prevalent crime that traumatizes victims. Professional literature usually focuses exclusively on adult stalkers, ignoring the possibility that adolescents also stalk. However, recent research has established that adolescents do stalk. There are some similarities found between adult and adolescent stalking. For example, adolescent stalking tends to be male on female, just as adult stalking. However, unlike adult stalking, stalking in adolescence is more likely to be motivated by romantic emotions, stalking behaviors are more likely to involve physical approaches, and adolescent stalkers frequently change victims. This article reviews the pertinent literature on adolescent stalking with special focus on developmental and psychosocial factors, the relationship between adult and adolescent stalking, the legal and school response, and implications for social work. Suggestions for future research are also included.