What mad pursuit? Obsessive relational intrusion and stalking related phenomena

The topics of stalking and obsessive relationship pursuit rapidly have gained the attention of social scientists, clinicians, and law enforcement professionals alike. This review takes stock of the burgeoning multidisciplinary literature in this area. The development of the concept of stalking and its corresponding literature is charted, delineating and contrasting the clinical/forensic and interactional/relational perspectives. The review and synthesis of current scholarship yields key conclusions regarding the incidence of stalking and obsessive relational intrusion (ORI), the various tactics and motives of stalkers and obsessive pursuers, and the consequences for victims. Further, a comprehensive typology of victim coping responses is presented, along with a sampling of theoretical frameworks designed to help explain perpetration and victimization. Several avenues for future investigation are proposed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.