Abstract
Stalking, defined succinctly as persistent harassment in which one person repeatedly imposes on another unwanted communications and/or contacts, is a new word for a behaviour described since the 18th century at least [1]. Various empirical typologies of stalking have been proposed. Recently, for example, Mullen et al. described five categories of individuals displaying such behaviours (the rejected stalker, the intimacy seeker, the incompetent suitor, the resentful stalker and the predatory stalker). Stalking was also studied from a forensic vantage point and conceptualized as a new category of criminal offence in various settings and countries [2].
When it comes to investigating and reporting methods of harassment, direct approaches or contacts such as following the person and loitering around the person's home or workplace usually constitute the most disturbing forms of intrusion for the victims. Remote modes of communication, mainly unwanted phones calls, letters, faxes and emails were also identified in surveys [3]. As far as we know, stalking through Short Message Service (SMS) has not been reported yet. Our clinical experience in Western Europe suggests that this recent electronic communication device is being increasingly utilized by stalkers and can cause much distress among their victims.
A plausible hypothesis for SMS attractiveness for stalkers is that it fulfils some facilitating conditions. The absence of direct contact between the stalker and the victim allows the former to overcome inhibitions. It also reduces his or her apprehension. At the same time, stalkers know that active young people usually carry their mobile phones with them day and night. SMS thus provide stalkers with the means to monitor, contact and reach victims in a way that is both intrusive and avoidant. Obviously, cyberspace shares with SMS some of these characteristics [4]. We argue however, that trivialization of mobile phones lowers the threshold for inappropriate uses. These are brought to the attention of psychiatrists, either by harassers themselves, when they regret their impulsive use of short messages or, more often, by their disturbed victims.