A systematic literature review on cyberstalking. An analysis of past achievements and future promises (original) (raw)
Related papers
Cyberstalking Victimization and Perpetration Among Young Adults
IGI Global eBooks, 2020
Cyberstalking is becoming more common among young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the prevalence, behaviours, and tactics of both victims and perpetrators of cyberstalking among a sample of Greek undergraduate students; (2) the correlates of victimization and perpetration of cyberstalking to personality, attachment style, and relating to others; and (3) the impact of cyberstalking on victims' mental health. Results showed that 23.9% of the students were victims and 9% were perpetrators, with females, disproportionately experiencing and inflicting cyberstalking. Negatively close relating (i.e., intrusive and possessive relating) increased the risk of perpetration, whereas relating to others distantly (suspicious and avoidant relating) decreased the risk of victimization. Agreeableness decreased the risk of perpetration. Mother's affectionless control increased the risk of both perpetration and victimization, and mother's neglectful parenting increased the risk of perpetrating cyberstalking. Fear, anxiety, and depression were reported by the victims.
Cyberstalking:genuine problem or public hysteria?
Prison Service Journal, 2002
Case studies which provide evidence of growing problem of cyberstalking and illustrate different ways in which victims suffer, and consideration of whether media has exaggerated problem of cyberstalking.
Cyberstalking: a matter for community safety but the numbers do not add up
Community Safety Journal, 2003
The advent of the internet has led to the new phenomenon of ‘cyberstalking’. This paper examines the extent of this problem. It is argued that all of the estimates commonly cited are flawed because they rely on inaccurate or outdated information or are based on a number of unproven assumptions. Although some estimates suggest that there may be as many as 10 million victims in the United States and Canada alone, available evidence supports a far smaller estimate. It is concluded that additional research is needed to arrive at more accurate and reliable estimates
Electronics
Cyberstalking is a growing anti-social problem being transformed on a large scale and in various forms. Cyberstalking detection has become increasingly popular in recent years and has technically been investigated by many researchers. However, cyberstalking victimization, an essential part of cyberstalking, has empirically received less attention from the paper community. This paper attempts to address this gap and develop a model to understand and estimate the prevalence of cyberstalking victimization. The model of this paper is produced using routine activities and lifestyle exposure theories and includes eight hypotheses. The data of this paper is collected from the 757 respondents in Jordanian universities. This review paper utilizes a quantitative approach and uses structural equation modeling for data analysis. The results revealed a modest prevalence range is more dependent on the cyberstalking type. The results also indicated that proximity to motivated offenders, suitable t...
First Monday, 2003
This paper describes the first study to focus exclusively on the prevalence and impact of cyberstalking.
Victims of cyberstalking: An exploratory study of harassment perpetrated via the Internet
First Monday, 2003
This paper describes the first study to focus exclusively on the prevalence and impact of cyberstalking. A web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from a group of respondents who were recruited by snowball sampling via e-mail. A total of 169 respondents completed the questionnaire. The results of the study found that approximately a third of respondents might be considered victims of cyberstalking. Furthermore, when asked to indicate the level of distress felt as a result of their experiences, almost a quarter of respondents chose a value of ten on a ten-point scale.
SAGE Open
Traditional stalking is a considerable public health issue and describes a constellation of behaviors in which one individual intrudes upon or harasses another resulting in fear experienced by the victim as a result of the unwanted pursuit (McEwan, MacKenzie, Mullen, & James, 2012). Ubiquitous access to the Internet has dramatically altered communication in contemporary society, and these electronic means provide perpetrators with novel ways of pursuing individuals. In light of this, a phenomenon known as cyberstalking has emerged that can be defined as the repeated pursuit of an individual utilizing electronic means to induce fear or distress (Maple, Short, & Brown, 2011). As the Internet is a rapidly evolving medium, many new forms of cyberstalking are emerging and provide additional tools for stalkers' arsenal. Cyberstalking can take many forms including sending direct threats via email, encouraging others to threaten or harass the victim, distributing intimate photographs online, impersonating the victim online, and seeking and compiling information on the victim (Short, Linford, Wheatcroft, & Maple, 2014). Social networking sites provide a novel way to gather information about an individual and, as such sites facilitate intrusion-like behaviors, they are being used as conduits for stalking and online harassment (Fox, 2016). Indeed, according to Kraft and Wang (2010), social media has made stalking much easier and visiting social networking sites can lead to an increased likelihood of becoming a victim of cyberstalking. However, in many cases, the perpetrator makes use of both online and offline stalking techniques (Maple et al., 2011; Sheridan & Grant, 2007) and other researchers have also reported that it is common for cyberstalking to begin with the issuing of threats, and escalate to physical assault (Bocij, Griffiths, & McFarlane, 2002). Stalking is one of the most common forms of interpersonal violence. Figures from the British Crime Survey 2011 demonstrate that one in five women and one in 10 men will be stalked at some point during their life (Smith, Coleman, Eder, & Hall, 2011) and more recent figures from the 2013/2014 Crime Survey for England and Wales demonstrate that 4.4% of women and 2.5% of men aged 16 710292S GOXXX10.
Cyberstalking Nature and Response Recommendations
Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2013
Cyberstalking is a special form of stalking and involves the use of information and communication technologies as the means and the medium of harassment or intimidation. Cyberstalking can lead to significant and long lasting psychological, economic or even physical effects, and can be a platform for the commission of violent crimes. In the last decade, cyberstalking has received significant attention from researchers, lawmakers, policy officials, and law enforcement agencies. Yet, although there is a significant body of literature on the topic, which recognizes cyberstalking as a very serious and growing problem and discusses various aspects of it, we believe that the phenomenon is not sufficiently examined, particularly considering the rapidly evolving technologies, which give perpetrators unprecedented capabilities. In this paper, in an interdisciplinary approach, we review relevant research and look into the criminalization of cyberstalking. Our paper extends existing knowledge of the phenomenon by analyzing a number of recent real cases, obtained mainly through an online legal research service, to reveal the nature of cyberstalking. We outline the most important aspects and issues raised by this phenomenon and make a number of recommendations as possible solutions to mitigating the risk, from education and awareness to adequate technology and legal response.
2010
The field of stalking has experienced a great deal of growth and refinement over the last decade, but its online counterpart is still little understood. The study of cyberstalking has been challenged by conceptual issues (e.g., defining cyberstalking), a lack of data, and other methodological concerns (e.g., small sample sizes, obtaining sampling frames). The extent of cyberstalking victimization is not currently known, but estimates range from 3.7% to 31% of study participants in the few studies that have attempted to estimate its scope. However, because of definitional inconsistencies and methodological deficiencies in past work, comparisons across studies are difficult. The issue is further complicated by studies that have measured cyberstalking as method of pursuit for spatial stalkers. The current study is an attempt to build upon and overcome the shortcomings of past work in the area. Accordingly, the purpose of this dissertation is threefold: (1) to estimate the extent of cyberstalking among a sample of undergraduate students at a large urban university in the Midwest, using a definition of cyberstalking based on legal statutes and previous research; (2) to utilize the lifestyle/routine activities theory perspective to better understand correlates of victimization; and (3) to determine whether this theoretical framework can be used to explain victimization in cyberspace. Findings indicate that the number of online social networks an individual owns, the number of daily updates to those networks, use of AOL Instant Messenger (AOL IM), allowing strangers to access personal information online (e.g., adding strangers as friends to social networking sites), using online services designed to monitor online network activity (i.e., profile trackers), engaging in online deviance, and low self-control are significant predictors of cyberstalking victimization, suggesting moderate support for lifestyle/routine activities theory in explaining cyberstalking. Possible methods for preventing cyberstalking are discussed. iii Copyright Notice © by Bradford W. Reyns iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Drake Coroles, Jr. v