Annual Probability of Being Stalked

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that approximately 6 million Americans aged 16 and older are victims of stalking each year, representing about 2.4% of the population. Stalking is defined as a pattern of unwanted contact or behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.

Women are stalked at about twice the rate of men (3.3% vs 1.4% annually). The majority of stalking victims know their stalker: about 63% are stalked by someone they know, including current or former intimate partners (about 40%), acquaintances (about 20%), and strangers (about 37%). Cyberstalking (using technology to stalk) has become increasingly common, with about 1 in 4 stalking victims reporting cyberstalking tactics.

Stalking often escalates: about 76% of intimate partner homicide victims were stalked before being killed. About 46% of stalking victims experience at least one unwanted contact per week, and many suffer from anxiety, insomnia, and social dysfunction. All 50 states have stalking laws, and interstate stalking is a federal crime. Victims should document all incidents, obtain restraining orders, vary routines, secure social media accounts, and contact local victim services organizations.