In this groundbreaking account-- already an international bestseller-- Dr. Marie-France Hurigoyen lays bare the destructive "hidden" phemenon of emotional abuse. She argues that while emotional abuse is not as visible as physical abuse, it is equally violent- and perhaps even more widespread. It is a crime whose aim is, she says "a virtual murder of the soul." Emotional abuse exists all around us- in couples, in families, and in the workplace. But in an age where moral and behavioral standards are not absolute, society turns a blind eye to this insidious form of violence, tacitly condoning conduct that is both dangerous and perverse. Illustrating her points with gripping case histories from her own therapeutic practice, plus popular examples ranging from the films of Hitchcock to the personal life of Einstein and the works of Ovid, Kafka, and Freud, Hirigoyen analyzes the phychology of abusers and their victims as well as the dynamic between them. She breaks down the stages of emotional abuse, a process that begins with seduction and brainwashing and culminates in an open violence that sweeps the victim into a vortex of destruction. Finally, she offers practical advice on how to break free of abuse's vicious hold. STALKING THE SOUL is a call to recognize and understand emotional abuse and, most important, to overcome it. Sophisticated yet wholly accessible, this landmark account is vital reading for health professionals and victims of abuse, as well as for the concerned public.