Female survivors’ experiences of authorities’ actions in cases of partner stalking

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that civil authorities fail to understand the nature of stalking and the harmful consequences it causes victims. The aim of this study was to investigate how the victims of partner stalking had perceived the actions of civil authorities and the stalking investigation process. The data were drawn from conversations among members of an internet-based peer support group for female victims of partner stalking. We identified four main categories of victims’ experiences pertaining to authorities’ actions and the investigation process: authorities’ problems in dealing with stalking, dissatisfaction with the investigation process, trust in the authorities and expectations of future actions by the authorities. Negative experiences were clearly foregrounded in the data. The results indicate that civil authorities continue to have problems in dealing with stalking. Authorities, especially the police, representatives of the justice system and child protection personnel should be offered more comprehensive education to enable them to deal more effectively when encountering female stalking victims.