Researchers at The Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Melbourne, examined 145 stalkers who had at least ten contacts with the victim, which lasted for at least 4 weeks.

Definitions:

Rejected—stalking following rejection of a relationship, seeking both reconciliation and revenge.

Intimacy Seeking—morbid infatuations

Incompetent—intellectually limited and socially incompetent, out of rudimency, no claims of reciprocation.

Resentful—stalked to frighten and distress, choose victim at random

Predatory—rehearsing fantasy of intended attack while stalking, power

Implications: Threats are more a quality of the rejected; previous criminal convictions are often seen in the predatory. Risk of harm is lower, if still a real possibility, in the socially incompetent or intimacy seeking.

Mullen, RE., Pathe, M., Purcell, R., & Stuart, G.W. (1999). Study of stalkers. Am J Psychiatry. 156:8, pp. 1244-1249.