Men as victims of post-relationship stalking in Poland

Abstract

The problem of the crime of stalking around the world is still relevant. The rapid development of new communication tools and the Internet has made it easier than ever before to commit a crime of persistent harassment. Although most of the literature focuses on women as victims due to constantly changing social roles, it is essential to look at the male perspective in that area. The article presents the outline picture of stalking in Poland, emphasizing men as victims of this phenomenon. The paper presents an analysis of the four court cases in which men were victims of post-relationship stalking. It focuses on the female stalker and male victim characteristics, motives of the perpetrator, and modus operandi. The value of the case study shows that the course of persistent harassment of men by women can be just as severe as in female stalking. The paper is enriched with references to international researches and recommendations for adjusting the criminalization of stalking to the male perception of persistent harassment.