Who Is Most at Risk of Stalking? Age, Gender, and Other Factors
Important: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not legal, medical, or professional advice. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 (United States) or your local emergency number.
Quick answer
Women are stalked more than twice as often as men (1.8% versus 0.8% in 2019, per the Bureau of Justice Statistics). Among adults, younger people and people who recently ended a relationship have shown the highest rates in BJS data, and CDC's 2016/2017 report found a greater burden among American Indian or Alaska Native and multiracial people.
Gender
The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that women were stalked at a rate of 1.8% in 2019, compared with 0.8% for men (Stalking Victimization, 2019). CDC lifetime data show the same gap: 22.5% of women and 9.7% of men (NISVS stalking data brief). Men are stalked too, and are often less likely to name it or seek help.
Age
In BJS's earlier national stalking survey, adults ages 18 to 24 had the highest rates of any adult age group, and rates were lower for older adults. This helps explain why college campuses are a frequent setting for stalking, and why many people are first stalked while young. If you are a student, see our Protection Guide for campus scenarios.
Open the Protection Guide →Scenario-based guidance for 100 real-world situations.Race and Ethnicity
The CDC's 2016/2017 report found that some racial and ethnic minority groups bear a greater burden of stalking victimization (CDC 2016/2017 report). This is especially true for people who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native and for multiracial people. Researchers caution that these differences reflect compounding risks such as higher exposure to partner violence, not anything inherent to a group.
Relationship Status and Prior Abuse
Stalking and relationships are tightly linked.
- In BJS's 2006 survey, the percentage of victims was highest among people who were divorced or separated (BJS report).
- Nearly 7 in 10 victims knew their stalker in some way.
- In 2019, victims who experienced both in-person stalking and stalking with technology were more likely to be stalked by an intimate partner (35%) than victims of in-person stalking alone (11%).
Leaving an abusive partner is a high-risk moment. If that is your situation, build a plan before or as you leave. Our guide to recognizing intimate partner violence explains the warning signs.
Other Situations That Raise Risk
National surveys don't capture everything. Practitioners commonly see elevated risk in these situations.
- A recent breakup, divorce, or custody dispute.
- Rejecting someone's romantic interest, including a coworker, classmate, or acquaintance.
- Having a public-facing job or an online presence that is easy to find. A data broker opt-out can reduce exposure.
- A history of being stalked or abused, which can make future targeting more likely.
Students and Young Adults
Because rates peak among younger adults, students face a particular mix of risks: shared living spaces, constant social media exposure, and classmates or former partners who know their schedules. Colleges are required to have processes for responding to reports of stalking, and campus police, student conduct offices, and counseling centers can all be starting points. Our state reporting guides list the government agencies that can help in your state.
What the Data Does Not Show
National surveys leave out many people, including those who are afraid to answer, people without stable housing or phones, and victims whose stalking turned deadly. They also say little about people stalked by strangers online, by coworkers, or by service providers. Risk is real in all of these settings even when the data is thin.
What Helps Regardless of Your Group
Your best protection does not depend on a demographic category.
- Take unwanted contact seriously from the first incident.
- Keep a dated record, and start with a safety plan.
- Limit what strangers can learn about you online.
- Tell people you trust, including your workplace or school if the stalker could appear there.
Risk Around Leaving a Relationship
Of all the situations that raise risk, ending a relationship is among the most significant. A partner who feels rejected or loses control may escalate monitoring, contact, and pressure at exactly the moment you are trying to create distance. BJS data show stalking among victims is closely tied to intimate partners, and professionals who work on abuse treat the period around separation as one of heightened danger.
If you are preparing to leave, or have recently left, take extra care. Change passwords for shared accounts, review location sharing, think about where you will stay, and tell trusted people. Build a safety plan that covers your home, work, and devices. Our guide to recognizing intimate partner violence describes the patterns to watch for.
Visibility, Rejection, and Public Roles
People are also stalked by those who barely know them. A rejected romantic advance from a coworker, a classmate, or a person met online can turn into persistent pursuit. Having a public role, such as a job that involves meeting the public, a visible social media presence, or a leadership position, can make you easier to find.
You can reduce exposure without hiding. Separate work and personal accounts, avoid posting real-time locations, remove your home address from people-search sites using the Data Broker Removal tool, and tell your employer what not to confirm to callers.
Vulnerabilities That National Surveys Capture Poorly
Surveys tell us less about some groups. People with disabilities, immigrants, older adults, people without stable housing, and others who depend on someone for support may face specific risks, including a stalker who controls access to help. Language barriers, fear of authorities, and doubts about being believed can also make reporting less likely.
Data on these groups are limited, so we cannot give reliable percentages. What practitioners emphasize is that people in these situations deserve the same protection and access to services. If this describes you, ask any agency you contact for an interpreter or accommodation, and use the Office for Victims of Crime directory to find programs near you. See resources for stalking victims.
How to Use Risk Information Without Living in Fear
Reading about risk factors can feel unsettling. The goal is not to make you anxious but to help you notice and act early. If you recognize some of these factors in your life, treat them as prompts: tighten your privacy, tell someone you trust, and know your reporting options. If you don't, that doesn't mean you are immune, because anyone can be stalked.
The Risk Assessment can help you gauge a specific situation, and the stalking behavior checklist helps you notice patterns.
If You See Yourself in These Risk Factors
Recognizing a risk factor in your own life is not a reason to panic. It's a reason to take a few steps while things are calm. Make a safety plan and share it with someone you trust. Remove your home address from people-search sites. Tighten the privacy settings on your accounts. Learn how reporting works in your state using our State Reporting Guide. And if unwanted contact has already started, begin a dated log today and read how to report stalking. Acting early is the most reliable way to stay ahead of a pattern.
Don't Wait for a Perfect Reason to Act
You do not need to fit a risk category to be taken seriously. If repeated, unwanted contact is making you uneasy, that is reason enough to keep a record, tighten your privacy, and talk to someone you trust. Our Understanding Stalking Guide explains the behaviors, and our Protection Guide walks through real-world scenarios.
Being in a higher-risk group does not mean you will be stalked, and being in a lower-risk group does not mean you are safe. Trust what you observe.Generate and print your Safety Plan →Turn four answers into a discreet, printable emergency action plan.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
Which group experiences the highest rate of stalking among adults?
In BJS survey data, adults ages 18 to 24 had the highest rate among adults, and women are stalked more than twice as often as men. CDC's 2016/2017 report also found a higher burden for American Indian or Alaska Native and multiracial people.
Are women stalked more than men?
Yes. BJS found 1.8% of women versus 0.8% of men were stalked in 2019. The CDC reports 22.5% of women and 9.7% of men over a lifetime.
Do most victims know their stalker?
Yes. Nearly 7 in 10 stalking victims knew their offender in some capacity in BJS's 2006 survey, and many were stalked by a current or former intimate partner.
Is stalking more common after a breakup?
Surveys link stalking closely with intimate partner relationships, and BJS found higher rates among people who were divorced or separated. Ending a relationship can be a high-risk time.
Does being in a high-risk group mean I will be stalked?
No. Group statistics describe populations, not individuals. Anyone can be stalked, so focus on the behavior you observe.
Does leaving a relationship increase the risk of stalking?
It can. The period around separation is one of heightened risk for stalking and escalation by a former partner, so planning ahead and documenting contact are important.