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Are Female Stalkers More Violent Than Male Stalkers? Understanding Gender Differences in Stalking Violence Using Contemporary Sociocultural Beliefs

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Abstract

This study investigated gender differences in the perpetration of stalking violence and how sociocultural beliefs may account for these differences/similarities. A sample of 293 Australian undergraduate and postgraduate students classified as relational stalkers completed a self-report questionnaire assessing violence perpetration (no/moderate/severe violence) and sociocultural beliefs (justifications for relational violence; assessments of target fear). Female relational stalkers perpetrated elevated rates of moderate violence; however, there were no gender differences for severe violence. Both male and female relational stalkers were more supportive of justifications for female-perpetrated relational violence than male-perpetrated relational violence. Violent male relational stalkers were more likely to believe they caused fear/harm than their female counterparts. These findings are interpreted in the context of sociocultural beliefs that view male-to-female violence as more unacceptable and harmful than female-to-male violence.

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  1. School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 4111

    Carleen M. Thompson, Susan M. Dennison & Anna Stewart

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  1. Carleen M. Thompson
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  2. Susan M. Dennison
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Correspondence to Carleen M. Thompson.

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Thompson, C.M., Dennison, S.M. & Stewart, A. Are Female Stalkers More Violent Than Male Stalkers? Understanding Gender Differences in Stalking Violence Using Contemporary Sociocultural Beliefs. Sex Roles 66, 351–365 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9911-2

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