Solorio2

EdithIzilbethSolorio

ProfessorPacker

English20102:30

25,February2015

OldBehavior,NewCrime

Onascalefrom1to10,howcreepyisitwhensomeonelikesapictureyoupostedsix
monthsago?Dependsonwhoyouare,really.Tosome,itmaybeconsideredflatteryhowever,
toothers,itisanightmaretheyfindhardtowakeupfrom.Anapproximate74%ofonlineadults
usesocialnetworkingsites.(PewResearchCenter,SocialNetworkingFactSheet,
pewinternet.org)andalthoughmostpeopledontusesocialnetworkingforevil,someuseitasa
tooltoterrorize,manipulate,andstalkothers.Withtheongoingdevelopmentofsocialmedia,
stalkersarebecomingincreasinglyskilledandbetterabledatvictimizingandexploitingthe
vulnerable.
OldenDaysandNowADays
Stalkingisbestdefinedasthewillful,malicious,andrepeatedfollowingandharassing
ofanotherpersonthatthreatenshisorhersafety(JournalofInterpersonalViolence,TheTollof
Stalking,p.5051).Theactofstalkinghasbeenaroundforalongtime,andlikemanythings,it
hasbecomeanissueofconcern.Theactitselfisradicallychangingtofitmoderntimes,and
becausecomputertechnologyhasexceededexpectations,stalkinghasfollowedsuit.The
appropriatetermforusinginternet,email,andallotherelectroniccommunicationdevicesto


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tormentiscyberstalking(Shimizu,DomesticViolenceintheDigitalAge,p.117).Essentially,
cyberstalkingisanamplificationofphysicalstalking.
TheArtofPursuingtheWanted
Stalkersaredisciplined,meticulous,andpersistent.Theyarentjusttheeeriemanyou
caughtstaringatyouforasecondtoolong,infact,moststalkersarethesilenttypeyouwould
neversuspectof.AccordingtotheStalkingResourceCenter,themajorityofstalkingvictims
arestalkedbysomeonetheyknow61%offemalevictimsand44%ofmalevictims(Stalking
ResourceCenter,StalkingFactSheet,victimsofcrime.org).Inotherwords,thechancesofa
stalkerbeinganex,friend,familymember,oracquaintancearealarminglyhigh.
Victimsaremoresusceptibleontheinternetwheretheyinteractwithothersandbecause
socialnetworkingsiteslikeFacebook,Twitter,andInstagramaresodetailedandpersonal,it
isntdifficultforstalkerstofindeverythingoutabouttheirvictims,withoutthemever
suspecting.Moreorless,acomputerandinternetaccessaretheonlytoolsacyberstalkerneeds
tobeatanadvantageovertheirvictims.(Gregorie,NationalCenterforVictimsofCrime,
Cyberstalking:DangersontheInformationSuperhighway).
Cyberstalkersuseanarrayoftechniquestohoundtheirvictims.Theymay
initiallystartwithfamiliarizingthemselveswiththeirvictimthroughtheirsocialmediaprofiles,
thenmoveontoharassingthroughemail,messages,chatrooms,orvirtuallyanywhereonthe
internet.(SeeFigure1).Referencingpersonalexperienceinmoreseverecases,cyberstalkers
mayinstallspywaretotracktheirvictimsthroughsocialmediaandotherareasofcyberspace.
Theycouldalsoventureoutintophysicalstalking,whichincludes,butisnotlimitedto,physical


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following,makingphonecalls,sendingthreateningmail,orsendinggiftstotheirvictims.
Informationispower,andstalkingofanykindthrivesonwarrantandcontrol.
PsychologicalRamifications
Duetothefactthatcyberstalkingdoesntoccurinaphysicalform,itoftengeneratesthe
misinterpretationthatitislesspressingormenacingthanphysicalstalking.Cyberstalkingisjust
asdishearteningandpotentiallydangerousasthestalkingthatgoesonoutsidetheinternet.
Victimsofcyberstalkingareoftenstrippedfromtheirdignity,security,andwellbeing.Evenin
thevacancyofphysicaldanger,thepsychologicalafflictionvictimsface24/7isveryreal.The
feelingoflosingcontrolandpersonalsafetyarejusttwothingsofmanythatcyberstalkingand
stalkingingeneralleavesimprintedonvictims.(Gregorie,NationalCenterforVictimsofCrime,
Cyberstalking:DangersontheInformationSuperhighway).
CriminalAct
Turningoffthecomputerorignoringitarenotmeansthatworkwhendealingwith
cyberstalkers.Thistypeofadviceonlydestroysthelittleconfidencevictimshavetoreport
stalkingincidents.CyberstalkingvictimswhocalltheNationalCenterforVictimsofCrime
oftencomplainofnotbeingtakenseriouslyorofnotevenbeingrecognizedasvictimsbylaw
enforcementagenciestheyhavecontacted(Gregorie,NationalCenterforVictimsofCrime,
Cyberstalking:DangersontheInformationSuperhighway).Itisestimatedthat1in6Americans
willbestalkedinsomeformoranotheratacertainpointintheirlifetime,andevenwithall50
stateshavingantistalkinglaws,lessthanofstatesconsidertheactofstalkingasevereenough
offensetoprosecute.Forevery22cases,21ofthemarenevertakenseriously(StalkingResource


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Center,StalkingFactSheet,victimsofcrime.org).Withstatisticslikethese,thepublicneedsto
startapproachingthesecaseswithbettervigor.
WhyYouShouldCare
Despitethegrowingawarenessthatstalkinginallformsisagraveissueintodays
society,thereisstillmuchworktobedone.Toomanypeoplestillbelievestalkersare
annoyancesthatareeasilytakencareof.Cyberstalkingisthenewstalkinganditisflourishing
justasfastassocialmediais.1in6considerablyhighstalkinginanyfashionbelittlesand
oppressesitsvictims,youdontwanttobethatone.


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Figure1.
Howdoesharassmentbegin?(256Cases)

Source:
Revisedfrom2013CyberstalkingStatisticsWHOA(WWW.HALTABUSE.ORG)2013.Web.
16February2015


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WorksCited
Cyberstalking:DangersontheInformationSuperhighwayTrudyM.Gregorie,TheNational
CenterforVictimsofCrime.2002.Web.16February2015
RecentDevelopments:DomesticViolenceintheDigitalAge:TowardstheCreationofa
ComprehensiveCyberstalkingStatuteAilyShimizu,BerkeleyJournalofGender,Law,
&Justice.2013.Web.16February2015
SocialNetworkingFactSheetPewResearchCenter,InternetScience&Tech.January2014.
Web.16February2015
StalkingFactSheetStalkingResourceCenter,TheNationalCenterforVictimsofCrime.
2015.Web.16February2015
TheTollofStalking:TheRelationshipBetweenFeaturesofStalkingandPsychopathologyof
VictimsJournalofInterpersonalViolence.January2002.Web.16February2015