For the purposes of analysis, the stalking victims uncovered in this study were divided into four age groups (12-17, 18-22, 23-29 and 30-45). The Washington and Lee researchers were looking for an association between stalking victimization and serious emotional and psychological disturbance (including, but not limited to, PTSD) they knew a connection existed but were unsure of its depth and breadth. All of these women were 45 and under, and about 8 percent of them had suffered from the predations of a stalker at least once.
In order to probe the effects of this experience more deeply, researchers at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia examined the medical histories of more than 8,000 women responding to various health surveys.
It is estimated that 12 percent to 16 percent of all women will be persecuted by a stalker at some point in their lives. Women comprise about 80 percent of all stalking victims, and women in the 18-to-24 age range are abused by stalkers more frequently than any other demographic subgroup. Stalkers turn the lives of their victims upside down in an instant, from the moment they begin their cruel campaigns, and the effects of this stress can be overwhelming for men and women who are psychologically unprepared to handle such a threat. The emotions of a stalking victim are not far removed from the fear and paranoia felt by men and women trapped in war zones. A stalker’s victim spends 24 hours a day looking over her shoulder, feeling perpetually vulnerable and never knowing when her enemy might strike. Even when they don’t turn violent-which they do about one-third of the time-stalkers are soul assassins who destroy their targets’ sense of security and safety. The confluence between PTSD and stalking victimization is sad but inevitable. But even those who escape their tormentors are often unable to elude another persistent and terrifying companion of the stalking experience-post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The encounters that accompany this behavior are scary and unpredictable, and tragic outcomes are frighteningly common. More than 7.5 million people are victimized by stalkers in the United States each year. Motivational Interviewing Therapy Program.
0 kommentar(er)
