Most 2019 stalking victims (67%) knew their stalker, according to DOJ data. | Photo by Noelle Otto via Canva

What you probably already know: In 2019, 3.4 million people 16 or older were victims of stalking in the United States, according to data from the Department of Justice. Women were stalked more than twice as often as men, with offenders repeatedly sneaking into their homes or cars, watching or following them, or spying on them using technology — though that’s just a small sampling of stalking behaviors. Stalking victims, by DOJ definition, experience “substantial emotional distress” or fear for their safety or the safety of someone they know. And the experience can cause devastating harm to a victim’s health long after it ends.

Why? Women who have been stalked or have obtained a restraining order against someone are significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. That’s the conclusion of a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Previous studies have shown violence increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, but most of those studies have only focused on physical violence, rather than the psychological kind women often experience. For this new study, researchers collected data from more than 66,000 women ages 36 to 56 who were enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II between 2001 and 2021. They found that the risk of cardiovascular disease was 41% higher among participants who faced stalking and 70% higher for those who obtained restraining orders compared to women who didn’t share those experiences. Women who experienced both had the highest risk of cardiovascular disease. The study authors said psychological distress can prevent blood vessels, the nervous system, and other parts of the body from functioning properly, potentially leading to complications.

What it means: One in three women in the U.S. experiences stalking in their lifetime, but many women remain silent. In 2019, less than a third of stalking victims filed reports with police. This may be because stalking is a crime of power and control: Offenders rely on threatening and humiliating their victims, who in turn become more likely to develop depression, anxiety, and insomnia as a result. Many victims end up quitting their jobs or moving, and often are forced to look over their shoulders for years. While stalkers statistically target women of any age, ethnicity, income bracket, and profession, female celebrities and athletes represent cases that attract widespread attention. At least 29 women athletes and coaches reported being stalked in the last five years, including WNBA star Caitlin Clark and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, according to The Athletic.

What happens next: Establishing a link between stalking and heart disease — the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. — is the first step in improving the health care system’s response. “Our study highlights that these preventable, common, non-contact forms of violence against women are health hazards,” said senior study author and professor of psychiatric epidemiology Karestan Koenen, “and need to be considered as such, just like we consider smoking or poor diet.” Koenen said women need access to resources that will help them stay safe, including better screenings for stalking and other forms of violence. But it shouldn’t stop there. “We need to do better in addressing and preventing the root causes of violence against women,” she said.

— Story by Cambrie Juarez
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