The prevalence of stalking depends on how we define it. For instance, stalking defined as any unwanted contact will be a far more common experience than a definition confining it to specific patterns of repeatedly intrusive behaviours which evoke fear. It is also dependent on the sample in which stalking prevalence is being measured. One might expect rates of stalking to be higher when the group studied is comprised of victims of domestic violence compared with a sample of the community chosen at random.

‘Prevalence’ refers to the proportion of the population who, at a given time, have the experience in question. To date, studies of the prevalence of stalking have essentially been studies of the prevalence of victims' reports of being stalked. Stalkers seldom disclose their behaviours when surveyed, assurances of anonymity notwithstanding. (This is perhaps a reflection of the poor insight of some stalkers into the impact of their activities as much as any deliberate evasion; more on that in Chapter 3).

There are remarkably few published studies that have examined the prevalence and nature of stalking in the community. The first of these was conducted in Australia in 1996 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1996). This was a national survey of women's broader experiences of physical and sexual violence, and it included questions related to stalking and harassment.