Stalking behaviors range on a continuum of severity and intensity. They may begin with acts that individually may seem insignificant, such as repeated, unwanted contact in the form of telephone calls, beeper codes, e-mail messages or letters.
If left unchecked these contacts may escalate to unwanted physical contacts or the stalker’s ‘coincidental’ appearance wherever the victim goes.
Stalking and threatening a person has been a crime in the physical world for some time, and similar principles apply to online stalking.
Psychologists maintain that most stalkers, whether on-line or off, are motivated by a desire to control their victims.
As in case of domestic violence, most identified offenders are make, the majority of complaining victims female.
Though researchers and law enforcement professionals have adopted a wide array of definitions, cyberstalking is most generally defined as any course of conduct that utilizes electronic communication devices to knowingly and willingly commit any of the following acts on two or more occasions, with non legitimate purpose:
*Contact or attempt to contact someone after being requested by that person to desist from contacting them.
*Persistently harass, torment or terrorize
*Steal or attempt to steal someone’s identity or information about that person, harming that person
*Make unwanted and unwarranted sexual advances toward someone
*Communicate violent intentions or threaten to cause physical injury to someone
These activities may be carried on entirely online or in connection with physical stalking or harassment.
Cyberstalking
