“It's this weird intersection between bullying and harassment”: a qualitative exploration of the nature, impact and support needs of adolescent victims and perpetrators of stalking

Stalking is a course of conduct involving fixated, obsessive, and repeated unwanted behaviours. Although long recognised as harmful, it has only been a specific criminal offence in UK legislation for just over a decade. Traditionally, and stereotypically, associated with adulthood and sexual intent, little is known about the nature and impact of stalking amongst younger populations. This study fills this gap by investigating stalking among adolescents and young adults. It specifically examines what young people understand and recognise as ‘stalking’ behaviours; the socio-psychological impacts of the stalking; and the ways in which they managed their experience. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 17 young people (11 female, 5 male, 1 non-binary) aged 14-21 who reside in the UK. Findings suggest stalking to be common amongst adolescent cohorts. However, adolescents and young adults struggle to recognise it and differentiate it from bullying and other online harms. The research concludes that adolescents require more support to identify unhealthy relationships and seek earlier help when faced with harmful and threatening behaviours. Findings add to the nascent body of literature on adolescent stalking and highlight the need for more research into this phenomenon to develop developmentally appropriate prevention and intervention strategies.