Cyber Stalking and the New Online Predators

Cyber stalking and online predators are a new phenomenon since the birth of the internet and the World Wide Web. People ranging in development from children to seniors now use the internet for a multitude of reasons. As millions of people use the internet, millions more will become online users with each passing year. Among the millions lies a dangerous element the unsuspecting person may fall victim to. Cyber stalkers and online predators are the two groups who access the internet void of respect seeking harmful interactions.

Each year over a million women are stalked and 350,000 men. Stalking is a serious problem and can lead to dangerous consequences for the victim. Cyber stalking is Information Age stalking and growing rapidly.

With the advent of the internet, a new environment now exists for the cyber stalker and online predator. Millions of children, teens, and adults create billions of internet exchanges daily. With the addition of cell phone and text messaging, the daily exchange number reaches the billions. Telecommunications and the cyberspace environment are now hunting grounds for the online predators.

This phenomenon has been warned as inevitable for 15 years now, but only recently has parents, young people, and community agencies started to focus on this growing problem. To exemplify how this warning has been explained for well over a decade, the Department of Justice (hereafter “DOA”) authored and released the 1999 REPORT ON CYBERSTALKING: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INDUSTRY.

12 years ago the highly reputable DOJ published a report defining cyber stalking, the dangers to children, and cyber stalking resources. In this report, the DOJ is not only thorough but prophetic as well. They clearly state the problems of cyber stalking and predicted the number of online predators would increase with each passing year.

It is 12 years later, and the DOJ was correct in their predictions. Although the resources they provide are all highly reputable with excellent information, Working to Halt Online Abuse (WHOA), National Center for Victims of Crime, CyberAngels, and the DOJ’s National Cybercrime Training Partnership are four organizations with incredible resources and educational tools.

For those interested in furthering their knowledge base on cyber stalkers and online predators, the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS) is a reputable organization to become involved in.

Their mission as stated at their web site is “IACIS® is an international volunteer non-profit corporation composed of law enforcement professionals dedicated to education in the field of forensic computer science. IACIS members represent Federal, State, Local and International Law Enforcement professionals. Regular IACIS members have been trained in the forensic science of seizing and processing computer systems.”

Although experts like the DOJ and IACIS work to apprehend online predators, the number of cyber stalkers will continue to grow and it must be the citizens themselves to learn how to reduce their potential for becoming a future victim.

The cyber stalker refers to a male, female, or group of people who use the internet, e-mail, or any other electronic communications device to stalk another person. Stalking is defined as a behavior wherein a person willfully and repeatedly engages in conduct directed towards another person who, if known by the victim, can cause significant concern and fear.  Stalking generally involves harassing or threatening behavior that an individual or group engages in repeatedly targeting a victim(s). Cyber stalking is exactly the same but includes the methods of intimidation and harassment via electronic communication.

Most stalking laws in the United States require the offender(s) to make a credible threat of violence against the victim. In addition to directly threatening the victim with harm, family members who are threatened may also be grounds for arrest. Depending on state laws, the alleged stalker’s course of conduct can constitute an implied threat. The National Center for Victims of Crime is a dedicated association which can assist locating and defining state stalking laws and how to proceed.

While some stalking and cyber stalking conduct involving annoying or bothersome behavior falls short of illegal stalking, these behaviors may be a prelude to more intense stalking and violence. The goal is to treat these actions as serious and not to minimize. Although these behaviors could be defined as harassment, the time to become proactive is when knowledge of these actions becomes apparent.

Cyber stalkers are often motivated by negative emotions or serious psychological factors. Psychiatric illness, obsession fixations, revenge, hate, anger, and jealousy are common affective states fueling the cyber stalker. At times, the victim may not even know or ever met the cyber stalker indicating another red flag of alert. Once aware of any indication of harassment or stalking has been initiated, the immediate next step is contacting local authorities. Although contacting local authorities may sound overblown or drastic, the potential outcome of not doing so may be far worse.

One of the Department of Justice’s recommended resources for investigating cyber stalking is the not for profit organization Working to Halt Online Abuse (WHOA). Their president, Ms. Jayne Hitchcock, is one of the countries premiere cyber bully and cyber crime experts. In 2010, WHOA released results from their decade long study on cyber stalking. 2010 Cyberstalking Statistics is a revealing study of survey information compiled over a ten year period. The results from this report will motivate anyone who accesses and uses the internet on a regular basis.

The methods the cyber stalker engages in ranges from novice to advance. The more advanced they are in new electronic technology, the more proficient they become at targeting their victim. One of the methods few victims are aware of used by the cyber stalker is called cyber surveillance. Cyber surveillance has both positive and negative applications. In the wrong hands, cyber surveillance can be deadly.

Also called Digitally Mediated Surveillance (DMS), this advanced technology is becoming increasingly prevalent and more accessible by those seeking to secure their environment and those seeking to predate on others. Each time a person goes online, text messages, or use anything else involving electronic communications, they produce a growing stream of personal digital data of interest to unseen others. As DMS becomes more accessible to the general population, the more careful unsuspecting victims will have to be.

A cyber stalker using cyber surveillance initially does not present a direct physical threat to his/her potential victim, but follows the victim’s online activity to gather information on their personal habits and contacts. After sufficient data is compiled, he/she begins to make threats and other forms of verbal intimidation. The anonymity provided to the cyber stalker by online interactions greatly reduces the probability of identification.

This veil of invisibility and low probability of identification makes cyber stalking far more common than physical stalking. Although cyber stalking might seem relatively harmless by the younger generation or veteran online users, it can easily evolve into psychological and emotional harm. As part of the evolution of cyber stalking and victim inactivity, the veiled hidden harassment may lead to actual physical stalking and/or physical/sexual assault.

Cyber stalkers and online predators target their victims via websites, chat rooms, discussion forums, message boards, blogs, email and texting. The availability of free email, website space, and frequency of electronic communication usage provides the online predator with a proverbial “cyber footprint.” Having access to this information along with the anonymity, the increase of cyber stalking in the form of harassment becomes as plain as day.

The cyber stalker starts by quickly doing a Google or search engine search using the person’s alias, real name, or email address or any other personal data. Other ways to compile personal information, which one would think innocuous, is by researching a victim’s public profile available at any social media site like Facebook or MySpace.

Cyber stalking is a quickly growing form of computer related crime in communities across the country. Cyber stalking is succinctly defined as when a person is followed, monitored, harassed and pursued online. Whether the victim is aware or not, their privacy is invaded, their every move is watched and their personal information is slowly compiled. Once aware the stalking is occurring, this form of harassment often disrupts the life of the victim and leaves them feeling very afraid, threatened, and worried.

Cyber Stalking usually occurs with women stalked by men, but men as well are now being stalked at greater rates. Present numbers estimate the gender ratio at 3-1 with women being stalked 3X as much. One of the fastest growing segments of victims is children who are stalked by adult predators or pedophiles.

The obvious difference between physical and cyber stalking is that the cyber stalker does not have to open his front door. Everything he/she does can be done online and veiled by anonymity. Cyber stalkers need not have to leave their home to find and harass their targets. Having this anonymity, they have no fear of physical violence or the victim’s loved ones since they cannot be physically touched in cyberspace. They also feel confident legal intervention is not likely given their invisibility.

Essentially, they have a free ticket to act and behave without repercussions. Given this cloak preventing identification, they may be thousands of miles away, as close as a neighbor or even closer being a relative. Their unknown potential, geographic whereabouts or motivations can be a chilling experience.

Cyber Stalking and the online predators who engage in these behaviors are growing with every passing year. Although organizations like the Department of Justice and the National Center for Victims of Crime work diligently to educate the public, society remains ignorant to the predators lurking within cyberspace. The reasoning for the public’s refusal for educating themselves and/or children likely lies in honest denial. By not affirming these dangers are real, then people do not have to actively be concerned or set boundaries on the information they reveal online.

Cyber stalkers and online predators rely on the public not becoming educated on the necessary steps involved to reduce their potential of becoming the predator’s next target. The steps needed for online protection and reasonable security is quite easy and straightforward. Educate yourself and loved ones on the predator profile, set boundaries on personal information disclosed online, refrain from engaging in social exchanges with people you do not know, familiarize yourself with local laws on cyber harassment, and always have local law enforcement contact information at hand.

Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D.

Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D. is a New York State licensed psychologist and forensic consultant. He completed his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology in 1994 from the Adler  University. In 1997, Dr. Nuccitelli became a licensed psychologist in New York State. In November 2011, Dr. Nuccitelli and his colleagues established iPredator Inc. offering educational, investigation and advisory services regarding internet predators, cybercrime & the darkside of cyberspace. In June 2013, Dr. Nuccitelli and iPredator Inc. launched their internet safety website, iPredator, and two blogs, Dark Psychology & Dr. Internet Safety offering site visitors an incredible amount of information, education and advisory services. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Nuccitelli has worked in the mental health field in a variety of capacities with various clinical populations.

iPredator Inc.

iPredator Inc. is a New York State based Information Age Forensics and Internet Safety Company founded in September 2011 to provide educational and advisory products & services to consumers and organizations on cyberbullying, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, cybercrime, internet defamation, cyber terrorism, online sexual predation, internet addiction and the new fields they are pioneering called Cybercriminal Psychology & Profiling. Created by a NYS licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant, Michael Nuccitelli Psy.D., their goal is to reduce victimization, theft and disparagement from online assailants.

Dr. Nuccitelli and iPredator Inc. consultants are always available, at no cost, to interact with online users and media. In addition to professional services, Dr. Nuccitelli has authored a variety of internet safety tools, cyber attack risk assessments and diagnostic tests available to purchase as hard copy PDF files. For tweens and teens, iPredator Inc. created Dr. Internet Safety. For young children, K-5, Cyber Tyger, Troll Man and the Cyber Tyger vs. Troll Man struggle are used to introduce basic internet safety concepts.

Although iPredator Inc. has joined a multitude of social networking sites, feel free to visit the social sites listed below they use as their information and announcement vehicles. Dr. Nuccitelli and iPredator Inc. consultants are always available, at no cost, to interact with academia, law enforcement, legal professionals and the media. To invite Dr. Nuccitelli to conduct training, educational service or consultation, he can be reached by calling 347-871-2416 or via email at info@ipredatorinc.com.

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“The Information Age technocentric concept of being “connected” is a paradox of disconnection causing us to lose control of our instinctual drives for social cohesion, allegiance and selflessness. As our dependency upon Information and Communications Technology (ICT) grows, spreading throughout our collective human consciousness, the less we care for our neighbors and the more we delude ourselves into thinking that online connections are far more valuable than reality based relationships.” Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D. (2014)

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Author: Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D.
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