The word 'stalking' can mean a regular check on a friends' Facebook to see what they've been up to, or daily tweets to celebrities. But, it doesn't stop there, a persons curiosity can become dangerously obsessive.
Cyber-stalking is becoming more common and has many different ways in which it occurs. False accusations, threatening emails, black mail, consistent hate crime are the most assumed types. It can be taken to higher levels, by having personal pages being set up targeted at victims of stalking, strangers posing as friends and arranging to meet, attaching viruses to damage computers are other ways in which cyber-stalkers work.
Media often announces when celebrities have been stalked, mainly by a crazed fan, therefore they get restraining orders however, it is rare we hear how regular cyber-stalking occurs.
Many could ask, why? Why would you want to cause harm on others, especially those who are young and innocent? They are pathological obsessive, jealous, bored, enjoy the entertainment of others feeling inferior, they can almost be considered as delusional.
Younger girls receive sexual harassment cyber-stalking. Some cases have shown that older men have pretended to be younger girls or boys and befriended a girl, to arrange a meeting. It never ended happily. It is worrying for we can be who ever we want to be online Previous blog but so can everyone else.
Not just strange adults, but classmates cause cyber-bullying. For example, Amanda Todd, 15 was a victim of cyber-bullying. She ended her life due to harassment of classmates putting revealing photos of her on her own social media.
It is not just the younger generation being cyber-stalked. According to BBC 'The Head teachers union' is worried about the increasing cyber-bullying towards teachers.
"We have had incidents where teachers have been subjected to abuse for very long periods of time and have needed professional help on dealing with those issues."
The British Crime Survey 2006 estimates up to 5 million people experience stalking per year but there are no official statistics on who is cyber-stalked. People are not reporting being stalked online as a major crime.
Bedfordshire University have brought together a 'National Centre for Cyber-stalking' to help, understand and sort the problem.
If you are being cyber-stalked the best solution according to 'The Guardian' is to report, get support, and gather your evidence.
