Stalking on College Campuses -
The National College Women Sexual Victimization Study
(NCWSV)
The National Institute of Justice and the
Bureau of Justice Statistics co-sponsored a nationally representative phone
survey of 4,446 female students at 223 colleges and universities. The colleges
and universities varied in enrollment size and location (rural, urban,
suburban). A two-stage survey methodology was used. First, respondents were
asked a series of "screen questions" based on types of sexual victimization that
could have occurred during the previous seven months. If the respondent replied
"yes" to any of the questions, they were asked to complete an incident report.
The survey was conducted from February to May 1997.
The screen question used to measure stalking
was "[s]ince school began in fall 1996, has anyone--from stranger to an
ex-boyfriend--repeatedly followed you, watched you, phoned, written, e-mailed,
or communicated with you in other ways that seemed obsessive and made you afraid
or concerned for your safety?"
Prevalence
13% of the college women had been stalked
since the school year began.
If the definition of stalking required that
the person were actually threatened with harm--as set forth in many state
criminal stalking statutes--the extent of stalking dropped to only
1.96%.
Victim-Stalker
Relationship
80.3% of victims knew or had seen their
stalker before.
Duration
of Stalking
Stalking incidents lasted on average for 2
months (60 days).
Harm to
Victims
3 in 10 women reported being injured
emotionally or psychologically from being stalked.
In 15.3% of incidents, the victim reported
that the stalker either threatened or attempted to harm them.
In 10.3% of incidents, the victim reported
that the stalker forced or attempted sexual contact.
Reporting
Stalking Incidents
Overall, 83.1% of stalking incidents were
NOT reported to police or campus law enforcement.
93.4% of victims confided in someone, most
often a friend, that they were being stalked.
Communities
of color
The survey found that American Indian/Alaska
Native women more likely to be stalked than female victims of other racial or
ethnic backgrounds. The survey also showed Asian/Pacific Islander women were
significantly less likely to be stalked.
Actions
taken by victim
- 43.2% avoided or tried to avoid stalker
- 21.8% actions taken but not specified
- 16.3% confronted stalker
- 8.8% did not acknowledge messages/e-mail
- 5.6% became less trustful/more cynical
- 4.9% got caller ID
- 4.1% improved security system of residence
- 3.9% traveled with a companion
- 3.9% sought restraining order
- 3.3% filed a grievance with university
- 2.9% sought psychological counseling
For a free summary of this report, please visit
www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/182369.pdf
or
www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/182369.txt or call the
National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 1-800-851-3420 and ask for
publication NCJ 182369.
A complete copy of the findings may be
ordered from the NCJRS Paper Reproduction Sales by calling 1-800-851-3420. This
publication, titled "The Extent and Nature of the Sexual Victimization of
College Women: A National-Level Analysis," is available for a fee. The document
number is NCJ 179977.