★ The founder of Russia’s largest true-crime channel has spent six years tracking and researching—this book thoroughly examines real stalking cases and the psychology of stalkers!
★ From online harassment to real-life intimidation, the book delves deep into multiple true cases, covering everything from psychological profiling to legal strategies for protecting your rights.
★ The narrative unfolds along two parallel threads: one is the researcher’s clinical analysis of the “obsessive psychology of stalkers,” and the other is the victim’s perspective, detailing years of harrowing ordeal.
★ A self-protection guide every woman should read in the internet age! If you’ve ever received late-night calls from strangers, been plagued by persistent, harassing comments, or felt uneasy about “coincidences”—don’t doubt it—you need this book.

Before you open this book, take a moment to check your phone: Have you recently received any inexplicable “good night” messages? Did you happen to share your location publicly somewhere? Have you ever seen a comment under a social media post that sent a chill down your spine? These aren’t signs of paranoia—they’re the first warning signs this book will explore. He always seems to show up at the same café as you. His posts on social media are getting stranger and stranger. Late-night calls from unknown numbers, relentless comments on your photos… This isn’t romance; it’s stalking—a dangerous form of obsession that can ruin your life.
What lies before you is a comprehensive study of obsessive behavior. It not only presents multiple real-life cases involving stalkers and their victims but also delves deep into the psychological traits of stalkers. The narrative unfolds along two parallel threads: one is the researcher’s clinical analysis of the “psychology of stalking,” and the other is the victim’s perspective—years of torment and the legal battle to reclaim their rights. You’ll learn what drives stalkers, why victims don’t immediately recognize the danger, how to spot the warning signs of stalking, and how to protect yourself.
Violence doesn’t begin with a punch; it begins with an admiring glance. In the age of the internet, every like, every private message, every photo you share publicly can gradually erode the boundaries between you and others. When those boundaries dissolve, when observation turns into control, how can you avoid being consumed by this era’s more insidious forms of violence? After reading this book, you’ll know how to identify danger, safeguard yourself, and stop living in fear.

[Author] Anna Golubeva
One of Russia’s most popular true-crime bloggers, she is the creator of one of the country’s largest true-crime channels, boasting millions of views. For years, she has been studying the phenomenon of stalking, delving into real-life crimes and the psychology of perpetrators. Unlike many in her field who sensationalize gore and the macabre, she focuses on uncovering the often-hidden crime of stalking and harassment. By meticulously analyzing a vast array of real cases, she reveals how violence can escalate gradually—from ambiguous stares to private online messages—interviews both victims and perpetrators, dissects the subtle yet profound harm caused by crossed boundaries, and breaks down the warning signs of boundary violations in everyday life, empowering the public to recognize covert forms of abuse and master self‑protection strategies.

Table of Contents

Preface ...... 7

Chapter 1
What Is Stalking? ...... 9

01. Defining the Concept ...... 10

02. Stalking in Culture ...... 19
The Police — Every Breath You Take (1983) ...... 19
A Classic Stalker–Victim Story from 1910 ...... 23

03. Why Are We Talking About This? ...... 28
1. Suspense and Curiosity ...... 31
2. “Thankfully, It Didn’t Happen to Me” ...... 34
3. The Closed Nature of the Topic ...... 35
4. A Survival Guide ...... 37
5. The Illusion of Control ...... 38
6. Intense Emotions ...... 39

04. What Do We Know About Them? ...... 50
1. Ricardo López—Björk’s Stalker ...... 52
2. The Yulia Tkacheva Murder Case—Stalking Out of Jealousy ...... 55
3. When a Stalker Decides to Kill ...... 58
4. Ten Years of Stalking a Russian Chess Player ...... 62
5. “You Belong to Me” ...... 69
6. Women Can Be Stalkers Too ...... 72

05. Cyberstalking: Are We All Stalkers Now? ...... 77

Chapter 2
Six Years of Stalking ...... 91

01. Meeting A. ...... 92
02. The Strange Case of A. ...... 102
03. He Always Comes Back ...... 124
04. What Was Left Behind? ...... 148

Chapter 3
The Stalker and His Victim ...... 157

01. Psychological Profile ...... 158
1. The Rejected One ...... 159
2. The Seeker of Intimacy ...... 161
3. The Incompetent Admirer ...... 162
4. The Vengeful One ...... 163
5. The Predatory Stalker ...... 165
1. Personality Disorders ...... 174
2. Mood Disorders (Affective Disorders) ...... 183
3. Paraphilias ...... 186
4. Psychotic States ...... 187
5. Delusional Disorders ...... 188
Narcissistic Personality Traits ...... 194
Paranoid Personality Traits ...... 195
Schizoid Personality Traits ...... 196

02. Seeing Things From the Stalker’s Perspective ...... 200

Chapter 4
True Stories ...... 233

01. Stalking Out of Love ...... 234
02. Lonely and Sad ...... 244
03. An Unfortunate Coincidence ...... 258
04. Stalking and Children ...... 262
05. “I Never Thought I’d Be Afraid of Her” ...... 266
06. Interviews with Stalkers ...... 278
07. Irreversible Consequences ...... 289

Chapter 5
Is There a Way Out? ...... 293

01. Strategies for Dealing with Stalkers ...... 294
1. Ignoring ...... 294
2. Avoidance ...... 299
3. Counterattack ...... 301

02. How to Recognize a Stalker? ...... 306

03. What Should You Do If You’re the Stalker? ...... 312


Chapter 6
How to Punish a Stalker? ...... 319

01. Stalking and the Law ...... 320
1. Administrative Liability ...... 331
2. Criminal Liability ...... 333
“Volokhina v. Russia” ...... 343
Anna Kessler and Roman Panfilov ...... 349
Valeria Sukhanova and Konstantin Shmelyov ...... 353

Afterword ...... 370
Notes ...... 372