Police Psychology | Stalking the Stalker

Hamish Brown, MBE

Hamish retired in 2004 as a Detective Inspector on the Specialist Crime Directorate at New Scotland Yard after over 30 years service with the Metropolitan Police, London England

It is easy to think stalking is all about celebrities and the stars, after all when we see any news item about stalking it is usually associated with those people. It is true, of course, the stalking of celebrities is a rising and serious problem. The growth of the technical sophistication of the media, the rise of the internet and the unparalled access to information have all contributed to provide a dangerous basis on which stalkers can survive.

The threat is real to celebrities but this is only the tip of the iceberg as the over whelming number of people who are stalked are ordinary members of the public. They do not have their own lawyers, agents and security but are the often anonymous victims of stalking who have to fend for themselves. They are attacked every day with a terror that is real to them but unknown by others.  (more…)