Stalking: Infatuation Or Obsession?

To stalk, according to Dictionary.com, means "to pursue or approach prey, quarry, etc., stealthily", however, these days many young people alike use it in a joking term when infatuated with someone or seeing someone constantly, for example: "We keep bumping into each other, are you sure you're not stalking me?"

Many pictures and icons have also made light of stalking, with lines like I'm not stalking you, by the way you're out of milk and Some call it stalking, I call it love as well as various comics poking fun at it.

But when does joking around transform into a serious and frightening situation?

Stalking is generally when someone is obsessed with another, whether it be due to love or fascination, which can grow from talking consistently to tracking their every move via mobile phones or the Internet and threatening the victim.

During recent weeks, many stalking cases have been put in the spotlight and more people are starting to be affected by it, also. Two of these cases have been especially wary and should remind all people of the dangers involved when obsession turns into a sinister problem.

In the UK, 34-year-old Television Producer Elliot Fogel stalked and preyed on their victim, Claire Waxman, from their high school days until now, an astounding twenty years obsession. Fogel's stalking slowly became more and more frightening for Waxman, with incidents such as breaking into Waxman's car, gaining entry into her daughter's childcare by labeling himself as a future parent, stealing Waxman's wedding albums and taking an aerial photo of Waxman's home via Google Earth.

Fogel has recently been incarcerated for four months, but his victim Waxman has said it's not enough, due to the fear she has been put through.

"I will get a couple of months respite at best, but I am under no illusion that he will be out of jail soon and the harassment will start again", Waxman stated. However, due to Fogal not making threats of a violent nature the British law cannot allow his sentence to be carried on any longer than it is.

Waxman also alleges he had caused her to have an abortion, move house five times and develop an eating disorder.

Another case of stalking, which many readers will be aware of by now, involves the lead singer of All Time Low Alex Gaskarth, his girlfriend Lisa Ruocco and two crazed fans and their family.

The two girls involved went to Gaskarth's home after finding his home address. They then drove to his home and began to wait over two hours in his bushes. They soon learned that Gaskarth and his girlfriend would be returning home after Ruocco left a message on her Twitter profile, saying she was going to pick up Gaskarth from the airport.

After the long wait, they noticed a car drive into Gaskarth's driveway. Ruocco and Gaskarth departed from the car and proceeded to go inside. The girls, who had brought their younger sisters along, kept hidden in the bushes whilst their younger siblings ran up to the door and knocked profusely.

Eventually, Gaskarth and Ruocco opened the door, both unimpressed and probably slightly freaked out, but Gaskarth nonetheless took photos and signed autographs with the girls after they left their place from the bushes, fully aware that the girls had invaded their privacy.

This leaves one to question, where do we draw the line to stalking regardless of if violent threats are used to frighten the victim or not, such as in the case of Fogel and Waxman? As well as should people be more educated on this subject, either through advertisements or possibly brochures sent out through mail?

A good approach would be through international governments to try and make it a more known and understood subject, possibly using the suggestions above. It may also ease more victims into coming forward about their own cases.

Hopefully more of you have become aware of stalking after reading this article and better understand it.

Sources:
Ninemsn report about Fogel and Waxman.
Dictionary.com
Alex Gaskarth's response to the girls.
The girls view on what happened at Gaskarth's home.