ABSTRACT
Thus, although the preceding discussion clearly establishes that behaviour that would now be termed stalking is not a recent development but has existed for at least 300 years, it is also apparent that attitudes towards stalking have changed dramatically in more recent years. The reason for this change in attitude towards stalking is not clear. The courts were concerned about the lack of legal remedy for stalking victims as early as 1840, yet legislative intervention did not occur in any jurisdiction until the 1990s. An explanation for the emergence of stalking as a serious social problem at this time will be sought in Chapter 3. However, before engaging in sociological analysis of the genesis of stalking, it is important to gain a greater understanding of the characteristics of stalking and the nature of the association between stalker and victim. These issues form the basis of the next chapter.
