| The purpose of this study was to enhance the research knowledge base regarding decision-making of stalking victims. The study used Gottfredson and Gottfredson's (1988) rational choice framework to investigate stalking victims' decisions. In this correlational quantitative study, responses from a sample of 1,148 adult respondents to the Stalking Victimization Supplement to the 2006 National Crime Victimization Survey were analyzed. This was done to investigate specific research questions regarding whether the level of threat, level of distress, and the victim-stalker relationship influenced victims' decisions to engage in a higher number of self-protective actions and to report to the police. In addition, this study examined whether these same factors influenced the victims' perceptions of actions taken by the police after the victim had disclosed the crime. It was found that victims who were not related to the stalker took significantly fewer self-protective actions and were less likely to report to police. Higher levels of perceived threat and distress were related to the victim's decision to take more self-protective actions, report to the police, and greater police responsiveness. |
