by Donna Hicks

Created on: December 12, 2011   Last Updated: December 17, 2011

There have been many incidents of stalking that have resulted in the death of the victim as well as others or at least have left victims in fear of being killed. The behaviors and persistence displayed by stalkers when pursuing their victim or victims may have people considering whether stalking is actually an illness or if it is strictly a crime.

Stalking definition

While the exact wording of the legal definition of stalking may vary somewhat from one state statute to the next, the general definition and terminology used to describe what exactly what constitutes stalking is virtually the same. USLegal describes the stalker as “A person who intentionally and repeatedly follows or harasses another person and who makes a credible threat, either expressed or implied, with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm if guilty of the crime of stalking.”

It is important to understand that certain specific words are important to defining what constitutes stalking. For instance, in the USLegal definition, the word “repeatedly” is a key component. Other definitions or anti-stalking laws may use similar words or phrases such as “unwanted attention,” “a pattern of” or “series of actions.”

While a single episode of sending flowers, a letter or verbal statements that display admiration or desire to be with a person would not be considered stalking, the “repeatedly” displaying “a pattern of” showering another with “unwanted attention” could be considered a “series of actions” that constitutes stalking and is subject to criminal prosecution under most state stalking laws.

The seriousness of stalking

In 1989, 21 year old actress Rebecca Schaeffer was murdered by a fan who had been sending fan mail to her for years became upset after seeing her on TV in a bedroom scene. He paid a private detective $250 to reveal her address. He went to her home and shot and killed her in her own doorway.

Ms. Schaeffer’s death, along with the murder of Theresa Saldana, sparked California’s anti-stalking laws.

Although those crimes happened two decades ago, stalking is very prevalent today in spite of anti-stalking laws. In some cases, judges have been reluctant to issue protection orders against stalkers while in other cases; a protection order makes no difference to the stalker.

Newlywed Alissa Blanton was shot and killed by her stalker

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