New data from Suzuki Law Offices shows how digital tools have intensified an already widespread problem

Stalking has long been a significant public safety issue in the United States, but new research from Suzuki Law Offices shows how the rise of digital communication has transformed the threat. The study compares traditional in‑person stalking with cyberstalking and reveals that technology has expanded the reach, frequency, and impact of harassment. The findings illustrate how millions of Americans experience stalking each year and how online tools have made the behavior more persistent and harder to escape.

The data paints a clear picture. Stalking affects more than one in five women and one in ten men nationwide. Cyberstalking now touches roughly half of all stalking victims, adding a layer of constant digital intrusion that can last months or even years. The study also highlights how victims face emotional, financial, and workplace consequences that extend far beyond the harassment itself.

This report breaks down the major findings, focusing on the prevalence of stalking, the differences between male and female victim experiences, the financial and workplace impact, and the growing severity of cyberstalking.

The Scope of Stalking in the United States

According to national survey data cited in the study, stalking remains a widespread problem.

Key national statistics

• More than 1 in 5 women have been stalked at some point in their lives
• Nearly 1 in 10 men report the same
• In the year before the survey, 5.5 percent of women and 3 percent of men experienced stalking
• Across states with available data, stalking prevalence among women ranges from 15.6 percent to 35.2 percent

These numbers show that stalking is not limited to isolated incidents. It is a persistent issue affecting tens of millions of people.

How Women Experience Stalking

The study provides a detailed breakdown of stalking behaviors directed at women. The majority involve direct surveillance, unwanted approaches, and repeated communication.

Most common stalking behaviors among female victims

• Followed, watched, or spied on: 78.3 percent
• Approached at home, work, or school without consent: 74.2 percent
• Received unwanted calls, messages, or emails: 69.2 percent
• Felt afraid or concerned for safety: 98.7 percent
• Threatened with physical harm: 52.4 percent
• Experienced mental or emotional effects: 85.2 percent

The data also shows how technology plays a major role in modern stalking.

Technology‑related harassment of women

• Unwanted attention via social media: 46.8 percent
• Social media used to monitor communication or track location: 36.3 percent
• Received unwanted cards, letters, or gifts: 37.3 percent
• Stalker entered home or car: 43.1 percent
• Tracked with GPS: 15.6 percent
• Monitored through software or apps: 20.1 percent
• Observed through hidden cameras: 12.6 percent

These numbers show that stalking often involves multiple tactics, both physical and digital.

How Men Experience Stalking

Male victims report similar patterns, though some behaviors differ in frequency.

Most common stalking behaviors among male victims

• Followed, watched, or spied on: 75.9 percent
• Approached at home, work, or school: 63.9 percent
• Received unwanted calls, messages, or emails: 69.1 percent
• Received unwanted social media messages: 53.9 percent
• Social media used to monitor or track them: 43.8 percent
• Received unwanted cards, letters, or gifts: 26 percent
• Stalker entered home or car: 45.7 percent

Technology‑related harassment of men

• Tracked with GPS: 29.3 percent
• Monitored through software or apps: 25 percent
• Observed through hidden cameras: 19.5 percent

Emotional and safety impact

• Felt fearful or concerned for safety: 91.4 percent
• Threatened with physical harm: 63.8 percent
• Experienced mental or emotional effects: 71.6 percent

The data shows that men and women face many of the same risks, though men report higher rates of GPS tracking and hidden camera surveillance.

Comparing Stalking Behaviors by Gender

The table below summarizes key differences.

Stalking Behavior	Women	Men
Followed or watched	78.3 percent	75.9 percent
Approached in person	74.2 percent	63.9 percent
Unwanted digital communication	69.2 percent	69.1 percent
Social media messages	46.8 percent	53.9 percent
Social media monitoring	36.3 percent	43.8 percent
GPS tracking	15.6 percent	29.3 percent
Hidden camera surveillance	12.6 percent	19.5 percent
Threatened with harm	52.4 percent	63.8 percent
Emotional or mental effects	85.2 percent	71.6 percent

The Financial and Workplace Impact of Stalking

Stalking does not only affect personal safety. It also disrupts careers and imposes major economic costs.

National economic impact

• Workdays lost due to stalking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence cost an estimated 137.8 billion dollars
• Seventeen percent of stalking victims lose a job or job opportunity
• One in eight victims miss work because of stalking
• More than half of those who miss work lose five or more days

Stalking also forces many victims to relocate. One in seven ultimately moves to escape the harassment, which can lead to job loss or career disruption.

Mental health effects that influence work

• Higher rates of depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Social dysfunction

These conditions can reduce productivity and increase workplace accidents. Among cyberstalking victims specifically, 48 percent report negative work consequences, and 19 percent report a workplace accident or near miss due to stress or distraction.

How Stalkers Misuse Workplace Resources

The study shows that stalkers often use their own workplaces or their victim’s workplace to continue harassment.

Key findings

• Sixty four percent of stalkers pursue their victims at least weekly
• Seventy eight percent use more than one tactic
• Intimate partner stalkers are most likely to threaten or harm victims
• Seventy eight percent of violent intimate partner stalkers use workplace resources to contact or monitor victims
• Seventy four percent have easy access to the victim’s workplace
• Twenty one percent violate no contact orders by contacting victims at work
• Forty two percent are late to work due to stalking activities
• Twenty five percent visit the victim’s home while on the clock

These behaviors create safety risks for both victims and coworkers.

Workplace Policies Are Often Inadequate

Despite the scale of the problem, most workplaces lack formal policies to protect employees.

Workplace policy statistics

• Only 31 percent of workplaces have a stalking policy
• Fifty six percent have no policy and no plans to create one
• Fourteen percent plan to introduce a policy within a year

Victims who report positive workplace experiences describe feeling heard and supported. Negative experiences include being blamed, dismissed, or left to manage the situation alone.

Cyberstalking: A Growing and More Complex Threat

Cyberstalking has become one of the most damaging forms of harassment. The study shows that 7.5 million Americans experience cyberstalking each year.

Key cyberstalking statistics

• Average victim age: 44
• Women account for 73 percent of victims
• Only 11 percent of incidents are reported to law enforcement
• Fifty five percent of victims believe police do not take the issue seriously
• Forty one percent say intervention does not deter the stalker
• Forty five percent feel very or extremely distressed
• Fifty four percent of cyberstalkers are acquaintances or former partners
• Thirty two percent of victims receive threatening messages
• Typical cyberstalking lasts more than six months and can extend to two years

Digital platforms and tools used

• Social media is involved in 78 percent of cases
• Sixty percent of victims stop using social media
• Fifty five percent receive repeated unwanted messages or emails
• Eighty three percent of cyberstalkers use multiple platforms
• Eighty five percent of cases involve online monitoring
• Fourteen percent of victims have accounts hacked

Economic cost

• Cyberstalking costs the United States more than 1.3 billion dollars annually

These numbers show how digital tools allow stalkers to maintain constant access to victims, often without physical proximity.

Why Cyberstalking Has Made Stalking Worse

The study concludes that cyberstalking has intensified the threat of stalking in several ways.

Key reasons

• Technology allows constant monitoring
• GPS and tracking software make it easier to follow victims
• Multiple platforms give stalkers many points of access
• Digital harassment is harder to escape
• Law enforcement responses are often limited
• Stalkerware is widely available and poorly regulated
• Workplaces lack policies to protect employees

The result is a form of harassment that can reach victims at any time and in any place.

The Need for Stronger Protections

The findings from Suzuki Law Offices show that stalking and cyberstalking remain urgent public safety issues. With millions of victims each year and more than a billion dollars in economic losses, the data suggests that stronger regulations, better workplace policies, and more consistent law enforcement responses are needed to protect victims.

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