Cyberstalking has exceeded physical harassment according to the latest research. Cyberstalking takes place on social networking sites, emails and mobile phones and is quite different from face to face stalking.
Echo (Electronic Communication Harassment Observation) surveyed victims (aged 20-39 years)of cyberstalking at Bedford University, England. The harassers can be total strangers, ex partners or casual acquaintance.
Interesting revelation was that 40% of cyberstalking victims are men although previous studies always showed women were the victims mostly.
Psychologists feel that the danger lies in the fact that police does not take cyberstalking seriously although it causes psychological harm to victims. At least, 1/3rd of the victims felt psychological stress and trouble. The biggest category of stalkers fall in the strangers category and the victims never get to know who is harassing them.
One of the victims said she was sent lots of vivid images of violent rape to harass her. It is stranger to understand why stalkers choose certain people and what do they actually get out of cyberstalking. Sadly, it is not taken as a serious crime yet.
I have noticed how researchers, psychologists and observers are trying to highlight the issues of technology, cyber bullying and cyberstalking time and again but governments and law enforcing agencies are not paying heed.
The fact remains that the world is being ruled by internet and such a huge thing is bound to have criminal activities so it does need some attention. It is just like AIDS, accidents, illnesses most people feel it is not going to happen to them - but it can happen with anyone. It is about time, that the states realize the significance of cyberstalking.
