Stalking Cyber Stalking
What is Cyber Stalking?
- Use of internet, e-mail, or other electronic communication devices to stalk another person.
- A Cyber stalker relies on anonymity by using the internet to allow them to stalk a victim without being detected.
- Working to Halt Online Abuse- Reported 58% of cyber stalkers are male and 32% female.
- Ways cyber stalker might stalk a victim is through chat rooms, instant messaging, myspace and facebook.
- Stalking situations:
- malice: the desire and intention to terrorize and hurt you
- premeditation: presence of planning
- repetition: to cause fear and distress to you the target
- obsession: stalker cannot stop, despite warnings
- vendetta: stalker seeks revenge against you
- no legitimate purpose: harassment has no valid purpose, other than to terrorize you and cause you distress.
- personally directed: harassment is directed at you personally.
- threats: a statement made to fear the victim physical safety.
Why do people cyber stalk?
- Cyber stalkers are driven by hate, anger, revenge, jealousy, obsession, and mental illness.
Tips for staying safe online
- Keep your primary email address private.
- Select a gender-neutral username, email address- avoid anything cute, sexual.
- Don’t give out personal information.
- Never give your password to anyone.
- Save offending messages and report them to your service provider.
Advice for those who believe they are being stalked
- Do not reply to your stalker.
- Do not destroy your communication from stalkers. Save all communications on your computer.
- Do not keep stalking a secret. If there is any indication that a stalker might have your offline information (name, address, phone number)- call the police immediately.
- Do not take threats as a joke. If a stalker threatens physical violence, call the police immediately.
- Do not feel unempowered. You can resist stalkers, and most states have anti-cyber stalking laws.
Statistics
According to the 2008 cyber stalking statistics posted by WHOA (Working to Halt Online Abuse)
- 57% of stalking victims had prior relationship with the harasser
- 45% of the harassers were ex-boyfriends, girlfriends, spouse
- 19.5% occurred after dating online
- 71% of the cases escalated
- 25% of the people were threatened of offline/physical violence
Cyber stalking laws
- California cyber stalking
- Section 1708.7 of the Civil Code is amended to read: 1708.7.
- Section 422 of the Penal Code
- Section 646.9 of the Penal Code
- Section 653m of the Penal Code
Resources
WHOA (Working to Halt Online Abuse) - http://whoa.femail.com
Cyber Angels - http://www.cyberangels.org
GetNetWise - http://www.getnetwise.org
What is cyber stalking?
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci865159,00.html
Stalking situations?
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/definition.html
Cyber stalking resources?
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/DesertRose/blog/2009/01/17/What-is-Cyberstalking
Tips for staying safe online?
http://www.predators.tv/research/cyberstalking.asp
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/csh10.html
Those who believe they are being stalked?
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/cyberstalking_if.html
Cyber stalking laws?
http://www.haltabuse.org/resources/laws/california.shtml
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/us_states/california.html
Statistics?
