How gender influences perceptions of stalking incidents and juror decisions in stalking cases: A brief literature review

Key digested message Discussions and statistics on stalking perpetration and victimisation indicate that most stalking victims are female, while most perpetrators are male. Research on the influence of gender in perceptions of stalking suggests that males are typically less sympathetic towards victims than females. Specifically, studies show that males experience less subjective fear for stalking victims and are more likely to attribute blame to the victim compared to females. This may be explained by the different roles with which each gender tends to identify. Research suggests that males are more likely to identify with perpetrators of stalking, whereas females are more likely to identify with victims. These patterns are largely consistent with findings on juror decisions in mock trials involving stalking cases, where female participants are more likely to deliver guilty verdicts than male participants. However, some studies challenge these generalisations, suggesting that our understanding of gendered perceptions and juror decision-making in stalking cases is more nuanced. This literature review will briefly explore both areas: how males and females perceive stalking offences, and how these perceptions influence their decisions in mock jury trials.