A Study on the Improvement of the Stalking Crime Response System : Based on the Victim Support System

It has been three years since the Stalking Punishment Act was enacted and enforced, classifying stalking as a criminal offense. However, reports of stalking crimes continue to rise, and there are noted limitations not only in the adequacy of punishing offenders but also in the measures for victim relief. Therefore, it is necessary to verify whether the relief and response to stalking crime victims are being appropriately handled and to derive improvement measures. This study aims to analyze the current status and issues of the relief and response system for victims of stalking crimes. To this end, interviews were conducted with employees of institutions that protect and support victims of stalking crimes, as well as the victims themselves. Additionally, the findings were schematized based on the qualitative research methodology known as Grounded Theory. The results derived from this research process are as follows: First, perpetrators of stalking crimes tend to exhibit behaviors aimed at possessing or controlling the victim, have difficulty controlling impulses, justify their actions, and shift the blame to the victim. Second, victims of stalking crimes suffer from ongoing anxiety, with challenges such as relocation and returning to work, leading to prolonged suffering. Third, concerning the characteristics of crime occurrence and response, awareness of stalking as a crime has recently spread, leading to increased reporting, but stalking between spouses or partners persists. Despite collaboration with the police and legal measures, victims continue to feel significant anxiety. Fourth, despite public support for victims, there is still a perceived lack of economic and legal support, with many pointing out the limitations of official procedures, particularly the ineffectiveness of restraining orders. Finally, regarding the direction for system improvement, suggestions include improving police attitudes, providing location information of perpetrators, expanding economic support, enhancing accessibility to criminal procedure support, and the necessity for programs targeting perpetrators. There is an emphasized need for counseling and treatment programs for perpetrators, in addition to victim protection. This study has limitations in generalization as it was conducted with only a few employees of victim protection and support institutions and a small number of victims. However, as it gathered opinions from those who experience and perceive the current state of stalking support most closely, it is believed to have proposed practical and effective improvement measures for the response system supporting victims of stalking crimes.