What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyberharassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyberharassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying.

Cyberstalking study reveals alarming trends

Cyberstalking is on the rise and women, senior citizens and children are the most likely targets. Women are also becoming a more likely cyberstalker, as well, with the percentage of known female cyberstalkers increasing from 25% to 40% in the last year. But there are ways to prevent cyberstalking and harassment and self-defense steps you can take if you become the victim of cyberstalking or harassment.

Bottomline, if they can't find you offline, you are much safer. A recent decision by a judge interpreting a statute designed to protect copyright owners, seriously jeopardizes the safety of all Internet users if a predator is willing to lie on a form. That form allows them to demand that the persons ISP turn over all contact information, name, address and telephone number.

What it is that makes you such a good target

When trying to protect your loved ones and yourself against cyberstalkers, it will help for you to understand what it is about you and loved ones that lure the online predators to you.

Of course the main targets are the "new to the Internet", females, children, emotionally unstable, etc. In our experience, 83% are female, but men are also stalked. Being dominated by men, so many more males than females online, their quest for female companionship may be hard sought. This may leave them with a hurt male ego and being jilted he may want revenge.

The Internet is becoming more of an entire family communication center. Which is opening up many more victims to be stalked. The thing to remember is that a stalker is someone that wants to be in control. A stalker is not going to pick a victim that is equal to them. This keeps the victim submissive.

Someone new to being online is pretty easy to pick out of a crowd. They don't know the chat room lingo, by their profile info, lack of Internet knowledge, etc. Also the type of channel or chat room you enter may give it away that you are new. (Newbie Chats, Getting Started Tour, etc.) These are things stalkers pick up on pretty quickly.

Being emotionally unstable is also easy for a stalker to pick up on. Being depressed, upset, abused and chatting about it in an open channel or chat room where everyone can see, will have someone private messaging you to comfort you quickly. This is something a stalker will look for, weakness. People looking to make friends or even find romance online are open to many types of stalkers. We get so many e-mails from victims of an online friendship or romance that has gone bad and the other person involved is not wanting to end it.

Victims always feel guilty as if they have brought this all upon themselves. They are wrong. A stalker knows what they are doing and tries to keep the victim feeling intimidated. This is how they keep control over their victim. But the people being stalked need to know that it is never their fault. They can be a survivor of the stalking if they know how to stop it and also prevent it.

The best way to arm yourself is to not give into a stalker. Stand your ground and the stalker will go on to an easier prey.