In the space of a decade, the word ‘stalking’ has acquired a new meaning and significance in our vocabulary. Most people are acquainted with its contemporary use, either through various depictions in the media or through personal knowledge of someone exposed to the unwanted attentions of a stalker. The term ‘stalking’ has been used since ancient times to refer both to the act of following one's prey and to walk stealthily, but it was only in the late 1980s that the media coined the word to describe the persistent pestering and harassment of celebrities by fans. Use of the term has been progressively expanded to encompass the behaviours of those who harass previous partners, fellow workers, acquaintances and a range of other ordinary people. The behaviour itself is not new, but labelling it and acknowledging it as an important social problem has enabled us to recognize and act upon it.

Our understanding of stalking is still evolving. There is not much published work on the subject, and much of it offers little in the way of practical solutions to the problem. Research is gathering momentum, however, generating some insights into the nature of stalking, its frequency, and the characteristics and motives of those who stalk and the people they target.