Beyond Criminalization: Perceptions of Stalking Behaviors Among Moscow University Students in a Fragmented Legal Context

Stalking has been widely criminalized globally since the 1990s, yet Russia still lacks a specific criminal offence of stalking and relies on general provisions that only partially cover persistent persecutory behavior. This study uses an experimental vignette-based survey of 292 Moscow university students to examine gaps between legal norms and social perceptions of stalking. Students evaluated scenarios varying perpetrator gender, relationship context, and behaviors. Stalking was most readily recognized when male perpetrators targeted female victims, while male respondents and those endorsing romantic ideals were less likely to recognize stalking behaviors as problematic.