New Delhi, Aug 11
Women who experienced being stalked are more than 40 per cent likely to develop heart disease and stroke, according to an alarming study on Monday.
About 1 in 3 women have been stalked at some point in their lives, according to data on intimate partner violence collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study, published in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation, noted that common forms of violence against women, such as stalking or stalking harassment behaviours, such as receiving unsolicited correspondence, that make them fearful, are rarely discussed in cardiovascular research.
“The link between stalking and cardiovascular disease may be due to psychological distress, which may disrupt the nervous system, impair proper blood vessel function, and negatively affect other biological mechanisms,” explained researchers from Harvard University in the US and the University of British Columbia in Canada.
Notably, the study also found that women who obtained a restraining order for protection had a 70 per cent increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.