This chapter explores a typology of five distinct types of stalkers, highlighting their behaviors and motivations, including rejected, intimacy seekers, incompetent suitors, resentful, and predatory stalkers. It emphasizes the continuing relevance of these distinctions in assessing risk and the mental health impact on victims.
Earlier this year, the Netflix program Baby Reindeer brought stalking firmly back into the zeitgeist - sparking discussion about the psychology of people who stalk and the impact it has on victims.
So what goes on in the mind of a stalker? How do the various types, from incompetent suitor to intimacy seeker, differ? And what should you do if you think you have a stalker?