The Four Types Of Simple Obsessional Stalkers

According to the CDC's National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS),1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men have been stalked during their lifetime (NIJ).
In Victimology: Legal, Psychological and Social Perspectives, Wallace and Roberson discuss stalking as being broken down into four major behavioral categories: erotomania, love obsessional, simple obsessional, and false victimization (CITATION NEEDED). Each of these behavioral types cover at least one type of stalker and several types of stalkers exhibit behavior that can be classified under multiple behavioral types. The Nation Institute of Justice focuses on Intimate Partner Stalking and Cyberstalking. Other organizations classify stalking based on motive. This system of definition
Simple Obsessional Stalking covers 70-80% of stalking cases (UIC). Overwhelmingly, this form of stalking involves a male offender and a female victim. This type of stalking is typified by a prior or existing relationship between the offender and victim, usually romantic. Often, this form of stalking is merely an extension of pre-existing domestic violence, carried out by a boyfriend or husband. This should not be taken to mean that all simple obsessional stalkers engage in long term relationships with their victims. Occasionally, offender-victim relationships are very brief, even casually intimate relationships. Generally speaking, the offender believes that they have been wronged in some way by the victim. This stems from the offender’s inability to cope with the relationship with the victim ending (CITATION
While the stalker may be content to barrage the victim with unwanted phone calls and letters, he will typically attempt face-to-face contact. Face-to-face contact happens at a much higher rate for simple obsessional stalkers than other behavioral types, likely due to the existence of a prior relationship between the offender and victim. According to Zone et al (CITATION NEEDED), the Simple Obsessional Stalker displays narcissistic tendencies, specifically a “sustainable rage” in response the perceived slight. Already abusive partners can very rapidly escalate to lethal and near-lethal force. Partners who were previously only emotionally abusive can quickly turn physically abusive. This rapid shift to potentially fatal violence typically happens as the victim attempts to leave their abusers or well after the relationship ends (CITATION