One in five Australian women aged 15 or older have been stalked, with women more likely to be followed by a man they know, new data reveals.
An estimated 2.7 million Australian adults have experienced stalking, according to the 2021-22 Personal Safety Survey released by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2021 and May 2022 when government stay-at-home orders were in place in some parts of the country.
Women were eight times more likely to be stalked by a male than a female, while men were stalked by males and females at a similar rate.
It found women who were young, studying, renting or under financial stress were the most likely to be stalked.
More than three quarters of women, or 78 per cent, reported being stalked by a current or former male intimate partner, according to the data.
Half of the women stalked by a male intimate partner reported being followed for more than a year, while 115,900 women said the stalking continued for more than three years.
Swinburn University of Technology professor of clinical and forensic psychology Troy McEwan said an "extraordinary" number of Australians were being stalked, even though the data showed there had been no increase in prevalence.
"Stalking itself is basically not changing really in its prevalence but many, many people experience it and many people have experienced it for a very long time," Professor McEwan said.
Troy McEwan says an "extraordinary" number of Australians are being stalked. (Supplied)
"Young women are more likely to be in and out of relationships, so that's the reality for both young men and women.
"One of the … times people get stalked is at the end of an intimate relationship."
Victims often assaulted, threatened by male partner
Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy chief executive Rachael Burgin told the ABC that stalking was a family violence behaviour that has become easier with mobile phones.
"We typically think of stalking as being followed in the street by a stranger … but actually stalking is checking in on where someone is, unwanted and harassing phone calls and text messages and other contact," Dr Burgin said.
"These days we all have essentially a tracking device in our pocket being our mobile phones."
Rachael Burgin says mobile phones make it easier to stalk people. (Supplied)
The ABS defines stalking as loitering around someone's home, workplace or place of leisure, or being followed or watched in person or by a tracking device.
It also includes maintaining unwanted contact, posting offensive and unwanted messages on the internet, impersonating someone online, hacking or accessing someone's online accounts, and leaving offensive or disturbing objects where they could be found.
The survey found a male intimate partner often maintained unwanted contact with a woman online or by phone, loitered around their home or work, or followed them in person or electronically.
Of the women who were stalked by a male intimate partner in the past 10 years, 50 per cent were assaulted or threatened, according to the survey.
The data said nearly all women who were stalked by an intimate partner reported feeling angry, anxious, experienced panic attacks and the need to be more cautious.
White Ribbon Australia acting chief executive David Cain said the stalking data showed abuse could often follow women after they left a relationship.
"I think the stalking data illustrates that people may well leave the relationship but they often never leave the abuse," Mr Cain told the ABC.
Mr Cain said stalking could cause consistent psychological and emotional issues for victims who fear for their lives.
He said the focus needed to shift to perpetrators and address the cause of stalking.
"We need to shift our gaze to why people are stalking and what we need to do to be able to hold the people to account and to connect them into the requisite support services," he said.
Stalking should be reported to police, expert says
About 30 per cent of the women who had been stalked by a male intimate partner in the past 10 years had reported the most recent episode to police.
When the stalker was not just their partner, only 25 per cent of women reported it to police
Women who didn't want to report the stalking to authorities said they felt they could deal with it themselves, didn't think it was serious enough or didn't think the police could do anything.
Professor McEwan said stalking was a crime in all Australian states and territories, and people should report it to police if they thought they were being stalked.
She said victims should bring evidence of the behaviour to police, such as copies of communication, screen shots of messages and phone logs, without putting themselves at risk.
"We know internationally stalking victims do routinely have poor responses from police, although some police forces are trying to change that," she said.
"If people believe they're being stalked it is really important, if they feel safe to do so, to report that to police and to use the word 'stalking'.
"Bring someone with you to the police station, have a support with you or a family member with you or a friend who can help kind of talk it through and explain things."
The data showed about 19 per cent of women who reported a stalking episode by a male resulted in someone being charged.
Professor McEwen said it was important victims sought psychological support because they were at increased risk of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It can be a really damaging behaviour and so being able to have someone who can help you think through it in a way that can help you maintain some kind of normalcy is really important," she said.