Chapter 13: Obsessive Relational

IntrusionAllyson Amato, Danielle Barbarite, Liz Huber, Lacey Johnson, Katie Schnably

Preview

• Psychological Effects of Stalking

• Stalker Typologies

• Theories on Stalking

• Stalking in Schools

• Stalking in the Workplace

• Cyberstalking

• Coping Strategies and Prevention of Stalking

Stalking in School

There are two types of stalking situations in schools:o Students Stalking Teacherso Teachers Stalking Students

Students Stalking Teachers

Morgan, R.K. (2009) findings:o Students lacking healthy relationships are those most likely to form

stalking behaviors due to an insecure attachment to the individual’s parents.

o Age difference bias from teacher to student brushes off behaviors as temporary “crush.”

o Professors can be hesitant to report student stalking behaviors due to fear of being accused by the student of making sexual advances.

o Roughly 1/2 of all stalkers have had a previous romantic relationship with the victim.

Students Stalking Teachers

Osterholm, Horn, & Kritsonis (2011) findings:o Stalking was mostly only reported by teachers who felt

fear, intimidation, or threatened by the student. Female teachers were slightly more likely than male

teachers to report stalking behaviors.

o Three categories of student-faculty stalking: Prior romantic relationships or blurred-line relationships

(14%) Erotomanic stalkers: delusional, have borderline personality

disorder, and may suffer from some kind of psychosis (43%)

Stalking for higher grades (44%)

Class Activity

Scenario One: “Did you grade our papers yet? Did you see the extra credit work I did? Did you notice I’ve been participating more lately?”

Scenario Two: “Did you hear our professor got an award last weekend for teacher of the year? Isn’t he so amazing! I will marry him one day.”

Scenario Three: “Professor Brown broke up with me, but I plan on using his office hours to win his love back.”

Prior Romantic Relationships, Erotomanic, Stalking for Higher Grades

Teachers Stalking Students

According to Paludi & Denmark (2010):

• Problem in college, high school, middle school, and even elementary school as well.o In 1993, a study was conducted that surveyed more than 1,600

students in grades 8-11, in 79 public schools throughout the country.

o The study found that 25% of females and 10% of males had been sexually harassed by a school employee.

Teachers Stalking Students Cont.

According to Spitzberg & Cupach (2007):• Stalking done by professors frequently leads to sexual

harassment and sometimes even physical violence.• Physical violence has been reported in 32% of stalking

cases and sexual advances have been reported in 12% of the cases.

• Teachers who sexually harass their students behave just like any other sexual predator; by using manipulative methods such as isolation, blame, and lying.

Cyberstalking

“The use of the internet, email or other electronic communication devices to stalk another person.”

Cyberstalking

• Harassment may range from continual unwanted contact to threatened violence, in fact, electronic stalking often leads to physical stalking (Philips & Morrissey, 2004).

• According to Salter and Bryden (2009), the ‘always on’ connectivity means that an online harasser has a greater opportunity to directly target an individual.o People are sharing personal information on the internet with less

caution.

• People sometimes perceive cyberstalking to be less serious.

The Anonymous Factor

● According to Philips & Morrissey (2004), most cyber stalking incidents are opportunistic and occur between strangers:○ Majority of victims do not know the identity of their harassers.

○ Stalkers pay critical attention to who they want to target.

• People stalk online because they can avoid confrontation rather than confront them in person or by telephone (Salter & Bryden, 2009).

Prevention of Student Teacher Stalking

• If a student becomes too attentive, professors should keep any evidence showing stalking behaviors.o This evidence includes any email messages, the dates and times that

student visited office hours and time period the student was there as well as what was discussed, any telephone calls, and any gifts from that student as well.

• Professors should also refrain from giving the perception of closeness by avoiding the following: conversing with the student in private areas and outside of campus, talking with the student about personal problems, touching/flirting with the student, accepting/giving gifts from/to students, placing personal information on the internet.

Prevention of Teacher Student Stalking

• Give your address and phone number to as few people as possible.

• Inform professional organizations that they are to provide no one with information about you.

• Lock all doors at home, in the dorm, and in your car. Use deadbolt locks whenever possible.

• If you are being followed, go to a safe area, do not drive home. Drive to the nearest police station or a busy place. Use your horn to attract attention.

Prevention of Cyberstalking

• Use non-suggestive screen names.• Remove any personal information from your social media profiles.• Never give out details such as your phone number or address.• Do not respond if you feel uncomfortable.

Review

• Psychological Effects of Stalking

• Stalker Typologies

• Theories on Stalking

• Stalking in Schools

• Stalking in the Workplace

• Cyberstalking

• Coping Strategies and Prevention of Stalking