Cyber-Stalking

Page Contents

Definition | Options for Victims | Psychological Effects | Resources

Definition

Cyber-stalking can consist of a variety of activities, but it is generally defined as the continued and deliberate harassment , threatening behavior, or unwanted advances towards a person through the internet or other forms of on-line and computer communications. Cyber-stalking does not include occasional junk mail, but it does include any methodical or deliberate attempt to harass the victim.

Cyber-stalkers can find their victims through chat rooms, online communities, discussion forums, e-mails, or through a random search. Even people without access to the internet can be victims of cyber-stalking. All the stalker needs to do is find out personal information about the victim and they can then use that to impersonate the victim and solicit meetings with strangers without the victim ever getting on to a computer.

Cyber-stalking can take many forms, some of which are below. If you feel that someone has done these things to you, contact your rape crisis center to discuss your legal options. Or call 1.800.284.7821 to speak to someone at the Rape Victim Advocacy Program.

threatening or obscene e-mails
spamming or e-mail bombing- sending large amounts of email to shut down the victims e-mail from working
live chat harassment
"flaming"- online verbal abuse
leaving obscene or threatening messages in guest books or on message boards
sending electronic viruses
sending unsolicited e-mail
tracing computer and internet activity
impersonation of the victim to solicit sex acts
identity theft

Cyber-stalking can escalate to physical danger for the victim. If a stalker obtains personal information, such as an address or phone number or even the social security number of the victim, this information can be used to stalk and harass the victim even after the cyber-stalking as ceased.

Options for Victims

If you feel that you are a victim, or were a victim, of cyber-stalking there are several things you can do:

If you are under 18, tell your parent or an adult you can trust about what is happening to you.
Keep a detailed record of the communications the stalker is sending you. Try to keep both a hard copy and an electronic copy, including time and date stamps. You can also include with that log a description about how each incident has affected your life, and the steps you are taking to stop the harassment.
If you feel comfortable, contact the stalker once with a clearly worded message telling them to stop the behavior you have recorded and to end communication or contact with you. Regardless of the perpetrator's response, do not try to engage in a conversation or discussion about the matter. It sends a clearer message when you inform the stalker that you want the contact to end and you do not contact them again. Coninued contact with the perpetrator is likely to reinforce their behavior, rather than deter it.
File a complaint with their Internet Service Provider (ISP), as well as with your own ISP to have communication from them blocked. Many ISP’s do offer tools to block users from contacting you.
File a complaint with your local law enforcement, keep track of complaints filed and actions taken.
If the harassment continues you may want to consider changing your e-mail address, your ISP and/or your home phone number as well as adding encryption software or privacy protection programs to your computer.
Contact on-line directories and request that any of your personal information that is listed be removed. Those directories include: Four-One-One, Switchboard, and WhoWhere.

Do NOT attempt to meet with the stalker in person. This can be very dangerous and should not be attempted.

Psychological Effects

The effects of cyber-stalking are similar to the effects of traditional stalking because cyber-stalking is an extension of the physical form of stalking. The United States Department of Justice estimates that there are tens or hundreds of thousands of cyber-stalking victims in the United States. Cyber-stalking is a very threatening and frightening crime and can cause psychological trauma to those who experience it. Some of the emotional responses include: