Stalking intervention: Know the 5 stalker types, safety strategies for victims

A comprehensive description of treatment for stalkers is beyond the scope of this article. However, clinicians with experience treating stalkers recommend the following interventions:⁴

• thorough psychiatric assessment and diagnosis
  
• treatment of Axis I or II pathology
  
• cognitive-behavioral therapy to focus on the stalker’s misperceptions
  
• motivational interviewing techniques to help the stalker appreciate the need for intervention
  
• victim empathy development
  
• social skills enhancement
  
• periodic risk assessments.
  

• Stalking Resource Center, National Center for Victims of Crime. www.ncvc.org/src.
  
• Pinals DA, ed. Stalking: a psychiatric perspective. New York: Oxford University Press; 2007.
  
• The Antistalking Web Site resources. www.antistalking.com/resource.htm.
  
• U.S. Department of Justice anti-stalking resources. www.usdoj.gov/ovw/stalking.htm.
  

The authors report no financial relationship with any company whose products are mentioned in this article, or with manufacturers of competing products.