Out of the Shadows

Abstract

Violence against women (VAW) is a critical global challenge with rates of sexual violence, sexual harassment and femicide being in relentless rise across the world. Stalking victimisation is part of a spectrum of different forms of gender-based violence that are underlined and sustained by patriarchal values, victim-blaming beliefs and gendered inequalities. This chapter revisits key findings and ideas of my doctoral study and considers their implications highlighting areas of research. The underpinning thesis is that in order to protect victims and tackle abuse we need to adopt a framework that incorporates empathy and moral accountability as core ingredients of socio-political thinking, policy and practice. In an era that encourages division and promotes fear the alternative is to reconcile and connect people and start building an equal and just world by acknowledging people’s humanity, voices and experiences. Because it’s only when each and every one becomes a moral agent of change that stalking survivors will start feeling less alone and fearful.