Protecting Your Children Online by Kimberly Ann McCabe

Author:Kimberly Ann McCabe [McCabe, Kimberly Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2017-05-12T04:00:00+00:00

What Do Stalkers Do?

Multiple actions and activities by perpetrators have been identified in cases of cyberstalking. Those factors include posting false information on websites or in chatrooms to damage a victim’s reputation, approaching friends and family of the victim as well as monitoring the victim online to collect information on that victim, and virus attacks on the victim’s computer. Other factors in cases of cyberstalking include the involvement of an “innocent” in the action through encouraging others to harass the victim, ordering services such as a pizza delivery in the victim’s name, and false reports of harassment or victimization by the victim to local law enforcement. For child victims of cyberstalking, it is also not unusual for stalkers to attempt to arrange personal face-to-face meetings with their targets.27

Stalking, which can escalate over time to become more frequent and more violent, is usually exhibited by the stalker (or perpetrator) through common actions. Those actions include, but are not limited to, following their victim and being present at events that their victim would normally attend. Traditionally, stalkers often will send unwanted gifts, cards, or letters to their victims. Stalkers will drive by their victim’s home or work, hire private investigators to follow or research their victim, and seek out friends or family members of their victims. Through cyberstalking, these actions are extended as victims now receive emails or text messages from their stalker or are the subject of online searches through public records.28 In addition, cyberstalkers are often allowed to follow their victims through social media or electronic surveillance, and, in some cases, computers and financial accounts of victims are accessed by the cyberstalker.

Cyberstalkers utilize a variety of methods to monitor and harass their victims.29 Specifically, email, text messages, newsgroups (a method of online communications where groups post their thoughts on a particular or dedicated topic such as how to victimize groups of individuals based upon some demographic characteristics such as homelessness), instant messaging, and Internet sites such as those advertising sexual services with the victim’s contact information posted online. However, parents should be aware that most prosecuted cases of cyberstalking are not technically sophisticated.

In terms of destructive behaviors, traditional stalking included damage to a victim’s home, automobile, or pets as well as threats of violence to the victim and the victim’s family.30 Cyberstalking extends those destructive behaviors to include not only those violent outcomes of traditional stalking but also damage to reputations through posts within the online community, damage to finances as bank accounts and credit applications may be accessed, and damage to computers and other remotely accessed electronic devices.

For the majority of stalkers and cyberstalkers, victims are subjected to multiple approaches or harassments within an average week. In addition, most cyberstalkers utilize multiple means of approach, both on- and off-line. Finally, many stalkers and cyberstalkers have had victims prior to their current victim and some may return to a previous victim.

Again, for teen stalkers, actions most often involve cyberstalking.31 A teen stalker may drive past the home or school of

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