The Omnipresence of Fear: Understanding Stalker Psychology with Kerry Daynes

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This episode features forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes discussing her 25-year career and expertise in stalking behaviour. Kerry transitioned from advertising plans to forensic psychology after university, despite being told it was "no job for a girl." She trained through the NHS rather than the typical prison service route.

Key Professional Insights: Kerry advocates for "rational compassion" - maintaining realistic risk assessments whilst treating individuals with dignity. She argues against forcing people into neat psychological categories, emphasising that everyone requires individual understanding.

Stalking vs Harassment: Stalking involves deeper fixation and obsession than harassment. Stalkers gather unnecessary information and seek proximity to victims. The UK recognises five stalker types: rejected (highest violence risk), intimacy-seeking, incompetent suitors, resentful, and predatory stalkers.

Risk Assessment Problems: The widely-used DASH risk assessment tool lacks scientific validity despite being standard across UK police forces. This "quick and dirty" approach fails because it attempts to assess domestic abuse, stalking, and honour-based abuse with one inadequate tool.

Personal Experience: Kerry shares her own stalking experience, describing the victim's sense of "omnipresence" - feeling unsafe everywhere. Victims typically shrink their lives and experience hypervigilance, which others often dismiss as paranoia.

Societal Issues: Popular culture romanticises stalking through films like Beauty and the Beast and Twilight. Social media and data oversharing have made stalking easier while creating unrealistic expectations about pursuing romantic interests.

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