Abstract
Stalking and cyberstalking are pervasive forms of interpersonal victimization that cause significant psychological, emotional, financial, and physical harms. The rapid growth of digital communication and surveillance technologies has expanded offenders’ ability to monitor, harass, and intimidate victims across both physical and virtual spaces. Employing data from the 2016 and 2019 Stalking Victimization Supplement of the National Crime Victimization Survey and drawing from the Routine Activities framework, we assess trends across three broad victimization categories—offline, online, and hybrid victimization—and 12 specific forms of victimization, as well as the demographic and situational correlates associated with them. Logistic regression models with interaction terms were estimated to detect subgroup-specific changes. Results show that the overall prevalence of offline, online, and hybrid victimization remained stable between 2016 and 2019. However, certain tactics changed over time: reports of electronic tracking increased, while reports of receiving unwanted items declined, and electronic surveillance became more common. Notably, a widening gender gap emerged in electronic surveillance, with men significantly more likely than women to report this technology-facilitated tactic in 2019. These findings suggest that while the broad patterns of stalking victimization are stable, specific behaviors, particularly those enabled by digital technologies, are evolving and may affect population groups differently over time.