WHAT IS CYBERSTALKING?

WHAT IS CYBERSTALKING?

Angela Maxwell

Department of Psychology

Auckland University June 2001

www.netsafe.org.nz/Doc_Library/cyberstalking.pdf

"This particular article was written before BLOGGING became a part of Cyber culture. The article is exceptional and worth reading.

Many authors, (Laughren, 2000; Ellison & Akdeniz, 1998; CyberAngels, 1999; Dean, 2000; Ogilvie, 2000) have defined cyberstalking, as the use of electronic communication including, pagers, cell phones, emails and the internet, to bully, threaten, harass, and intimidate a victim. Moreover, (AARDVARC) defines cyberstalking as nothing less than emotional terrorism.

Cyberstalking can take many forms’. However, Ellison (1999) suggests, cyberstalking can be classified by the type of electronic communication used to stalk the victim and the extent to which the communication is private or public. Ellison (1999) has classified cyberstalking as either ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’. For example, ‘direct’ cyberstalking includes the use of pagers, cell phones and the email to send messages of hate, obscenities and threats, to intimidate a victim. Direct cyberstalking has been reported to be the most common form of cyberstalking with a close resemblance to offline stalking (Wallace, 2000). For example, the majority of offline stalkers will attempt to contact their victim, and most contact is restricted to mail and/or telephone communications. Additionally, direct cyberstalking is claimed to be the most common way in which cyberstalking begins. For example, Working to Halt Online Abuse (2000) show the majority of online harassment/cyberstalking begins by the email.

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Firstly, the ‘simple obsessional’ group accounts for the majority of stalkers. In general, the simple obsessional stalker has had a prior relationship with the victim and is motivated to stalk with the aim to re-enter the relationship or gain revenge once the relationship has been dissolved. Mullen, et al, (1999) claims, the majority of simple obsessional stalkers have some form of personality disorder and as a group have the greatest potential to become violent. On the other hand, the ‘love obsessional’ group accounts for the second largest group of stalkers. The love obsessional stalker usually has never met their victim. Victims by and large, are chosen through the internet or media (Zona etal, 1993) and most offenders will have a diagnosable mental disorder (Nicastro, Cousins & Spitzberg, 2000). Finally, the ‘erotomanic’ group accounts for the smallest population of stalkers. The erotomanic stalker is motivated to stalk by the belief that the victim is in love with them as a result of active delusions (Zona et al, 1993)."