Pathé M, Mullen P E
Victorian Forensic Psychiatry Services, Australia.
Br J Psychiatry. 1997 Jan;170:12-7. doi: 10.1192/bjp.170.1.12.
This paper examines the social and psychological impact on victims of stalking.
A group of 100 victims of stalking completed a 50-item questionnaire on their experiences.
The majority of the victims were subjected to multiple forms of harassment including being followed, repeatedly approached and bombarded with letters and telephone calls for periods varying from a month to 20 years. Threats were received by 58 subjects, and 34 were physically or sexually assaulted. All but six victims made major changes in their social and work lives, with 53% changing or ceasing employment and 39% moving home. Increased levels of anxiety were reported by 83%, intrusive recollections and flashbacks by 55%, with nightmares, appetite disturbances and depressed mood also being commonly reported. Suicidal ruminations were acknowledged by 24% of victims. The criteria for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder were fulfilled in 37% of subjects, with a further 18% having the clinical features but not qualifying for a stressor involving threatened or actual physical harm.
The study indicates the extent of the social and psychological damage sustained by those subjected to persistent stalking, and underlines the inadequacy of the current legal and medical responses to the needs of these victims.
本文探讨跟踪骚扰受害者所受到的社会和心理影响。
一组100名跟踪骚扰受害者就其经历完成了一份包含50个条目的问卷。
大多数受害者遭受了多种形式的骚扰，包括被跟踪、反复被接近以及收到大量信件和电话轰炸，时间跨度从一个月到20年不等。58名受试者收到过威胁，34人遭受过身体或性侵犯。除6名受害者外，所有人的社交和工作生活都发生了重大变化，53%的人更换或停止了工作，39%的人搬了家。83%的人报告焦虑水平增加，55%的人有侵入性回忆和闪回，噩梦、食欲紊乱和情绪低落也很常见。24%的受害者承认有自杀念头。37%的受试者符合创伤后应激障碍的诊断标准，另有18%有临床特征但不符合涉及威胁或实际身体伤害的应激源标准。
该研究表明了遭受持续跟踪骚扰者所受到的社会和心理损害程度，并强调了当前法律和医疗应对措施在满足这些受害者需求方面的不足。
