1. National Centre for Cyberstalking Research 2013
Digital Stalking
National Centre for Cyberstalking Research
2013

2. Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is generally considered to be harassment that originates online, however it is also recognised that other forms of pre-existing stalking can transfer into online environments

3. Occurrence of Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking can be said to occur when there has been persistent and frequent unwanted contact from another individual/s
The behaviour in question has caused fear and distress.

4. Types of attack Identity theft – controlling victim’s credentials
Posting false profiles
Posing as the victim and attacking others
Discrediting in online communities
Discrediting victim in workplace
Direct threats through /instant messaging
Constructing websites targeting the victim
Transferring attack to victim’s relatives
Use of the victim’s image
Provoking others to attack the victim
Following the victim in cyberspace

5. Prevalence of Problem 2.1 million across the UK
1.2 million females
0.9 million males
Number of male victims is growing

6. How Aggressors Obtain Information?
Digital Footprints
Personal information
Financial information
Internet usage
Details of friends and family
Daily activities
Work
Location and much more
Social Networking Sites
Facebook
Twitter

7. Geo-Location “Foursquare” app
Discover where your friends are
“Girls Around Me” app- banned by Foursquare
Merging Facebook and Foursquare information with Google Maps and real-time GPS location data
Tells where nearby women are; allows to see their full name, photos, and send them messages
Facebook
Check-in where you are
Add people you are with
Add date

8. Risks Physical danger Identity theft
Obtaining contact information
Accounts takeover
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

9. Observation and Understanding The ECHO Study - Electronic Communication Harassment Observation
Commissioned by the Network for Surviving Stalking
Pilot study commenced in September 2010
Analysis of the survey to be published in May 2011
New extended study launched and will run for one year

10. Observation and Understanding The ECHO Study - Electronic Communication Harassment Observation
The results indicated that 22.8% of cases (25.9% for males, 21.4% females) report that their harasser was a stranger
27.9% (21.2% males, 31.3% females) say the harasser was someone they dated/were married to

11. Transmission to other Environments
The more fixated an individual is, the more likely they are to move from one online environment to another until the target’s online presence is fully intruded upon

12. Transmission to other Environments
73.55% of cases reported 2 or more mediums of harassment and 57.7% of cases reported that they had been harassed through more than 2 mediums (Phone calls, texts, , social networking sites, instant messages and physical environment)

13. The Psychological Impact Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
32.7% of respondents who reported experiencing harassment indicate symptoms of PTSD according to the clinical questionnaire. Respondents indicating PTSD were more likely to report more changes to their lives due to the harassment
50 % of people experiencing harassment electronically and physically (combined stalking) experience PTSD

14. Combined stalking victims
Types of Traumas
Cyberstalking
victims 32.7%
Combined stalking victims
50%
Air crash survivors %
RTA survivors 11%
Sexual assault 22-50%
Aid workers %
Combat veterans 22-50%
Bomb survivors 50%

15. Effectiveness of services and other interventions
53.4%(47.7% males, 54.9% females) reported their problem to some authority
10.8% (10.2% for Males, 11.3% for females) of the cases reported ended due to legal intervention (by police or Solicitors)
37.2% of harassed people (27.3% of Males, 40.7% of Females) received some form of help to cope with the harassment.
Mostly friend

16. How to Protect Yourself?
Assess what online information exists about you
Change your and passwords for key online accounts and keep them safe
Review all the privacy and security settings
Avoid public forums
Limit what you share
Educate friends, family and work colleagues
Gather evidence
Report to police
Seek help and support for the charities

17. Cyberstalking Forensics
The majority of evidence is gathered from the victims immediate physical vicinity
Cyberstalking Monitor applications can record and transmit interactions between offender & victim simultaneously to law enforcement officers
Event log files from ISPs, Telecoms, employer network systems, etc., can correlate offender communications
Existing technologies can assist with attribution & prosecution of offenders such as CCTV, GPS, etc.

18. Bringing Cyberstalking ‘Out of the Shadows’
The problem is multidisciplinary and requires a multidisciplinary approach
More research is required to understand the problem
Initial indications are that the behaviours and composition of the online stalking population differ significantly from traditional stalking – opening diverse lines of enquiry for research and the development of effective interventions
What it looks like

19. Legal Change
The Internet is a conduit through which an increasing amount of interaction with society is conducted.  The impact on an individual of such communications is significantly greater than it was 10 years ago.
Facebook, which now has over 600 million users (10% of the world's population), was only launched in 2004! 

20. Legal Change
In recent years we have seen changes to legislation that recognise the impact of technology on society and the ease with which criminal offences can be committed.
Most notably, the Police and Justice Act of 2006 amended the Computer Misuse Act of One change was the length of maximum jail sentence.

21. Legal Change
Malicious Communications Act of 1988 amended by the Criminal Justice and Police Act ensure electronic communications were covered. 
However, there should be reconsideration of whether the punishment currently legislated is sufficient.   

22. Legal Change
Protection From Harassment Act does not explicitly state electronic communications. 
A clear statement of electronic communications would assist investigating police officers in seizing evidence in cases of Cyberstalking.
Current lack of power to seize evidence, and this only exacerbates the problem of attribution. 

23. Law Change
Amendments have been made to the Protection of Freedoms Bill making stalking a specific offence in England and Wales.
One of the amendments includes the ability for Police to have access to the use of the internet, or any other form of electronic communication associated with stalking.
The commencement order for the new law was 25th November 2012