Cyberstalking: public danger, key factors and prevention
Peter Kobets
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian FederationKristina Krasnova
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian FederationAbstract
Cyberstalking has become a new form of crime and deviant behaviour. The authors research the problem of cyberstalking and intimidation via the Internet in details. These concepts are used interchangeably because all forms of stalking are threatening or have the purpose of distressing the victim (victim stress exhaustion). The authors tried to draw attention and show the interconnectcion between the social danger of cyberstalking and the violation of private life boundaries. The consequences of such interference can cause the significant harm to man interests, material harm; threaten the physical and mental health of a person. The authors in this article draw attention to the activities of people who use the Internet to threaten (intimidate) others. The phenomenon of cyberstalking constitutes one of the main aims of the analysis because it includes a rather large area of behavior performance (starting with the expression of threats to the theft of personal data). The main question of this research is simple: what makes an intelligent and law-abiding person in the offline world (outside the Internet), take part in anti-social or criminal activities online? The basic reason is the fact that the combination of technological and social factors encourages people to participate in crime or antisocial acts, such as incitement to violence against other people. The originality of the study is that the authors analyzed the public danger of cyberstalking and the consequences of privacy infringement by the negative impact on a person through the Internet. Authors highlight trends and developments, and give recommendations on how cyberstalking prevention matters can be improved.
Keywords:
organised crime; cybercrime; cyberstalking; cyberbullying; crime prevention; witness protectionReferences
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Krasnova, K. A. (2014a), Institutional framework of witness protection in the European Union. In: International criminal law and the international justice. 1, 20–23. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2014b), International legal warranties of safety of the victims and witnesses in the European Union. In: International legal courier. 6, 11–15. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2015a), Legal and organizational bases crime prevention against participants of criminal legal proceedings by law-enforcement bodies. In: The Russian investigator. 22, 38–41. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2015b), Witness protection in the member states of the EU. In: International law. 4, 66–86. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2016), The legal framework of witness protection programmes in the European Union. In: Lawyer’s practice. 1, 39–44. (In Russ.). Cyberstalking: public danger, key factors and prevention 53
Krasnova, K. A./Agapov, P. V. (2014), Psychological influence and its value in operational search activities for organized crime cases. In: Legal psychology. 2, 19–23. (In Russ.).
Lozovitskaya, G. P./Krasnova, K. A./Dyachenko, N. N. (2010), Ensuring use of state protection’s measures of victims, witnesses and other participants of criminal legal proceedings. In: Gaps in the Russian legislation. 4, 192–194. (In Russ.).
Marganski, A. (2017), Sexting in Poland and the United States: A Comparative study of personal and social situational factors. In: International journal of cyber criminology. 11 (2), 183–201.
Mathieson, S. A. (2005), Cyberstalking in the urban jungle. In: Infosecurity today. 2 (2), 34–36.
Meloy, J. R. (2011), Approaching and attacking public figures: a contemporary analysis of communications and behaviour. In: http://drreidmeloy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/reidchapter.pdf [Access 20.06.2018].
Miller, L. (2012), Stalking: Patterns, motives, and intervention strategies. In: Aggression and Violent Behavior. 17 (6), 495–506. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.07.001 [Access 20.06.2018].
Mullen, P. E./Pathé, M./Purcell, R. (2001), Stalking: New constructions of human behaviour. In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 35, 9–16.
Official site of the Federal service for supervision of consumer rights protection and well-being of the population: http://rospotrebnadzor.ru/region/rss/rss.php?ELEMENT_ID=5804/ [Access 20.06.2018].
Reyns, B. W./Englebrecht, C. M. (2010), The stalking victim’s decision to contact the police: A test of Gottfredson and Gottfredson’s theory of criminal justice decision making. In: Journal of Criminal
Justice. 38 (5), 998–1005. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.07.001 [Access 20.06.2018].
Sitdikova, L. B./Shilovskaya, A. L./Volkova M. A./Lenkovskaya, R. R./Stepanova, N. A. (2015),
Legal regulation and copyright protection in Internet in Russia and abroad. In: Mediterranean journal of social sciences. 6 (6), 163–169.
Smith-Darden, J. P./Reidy, D. E./Kernsmith, P. D. (2016), Adolescent stalking and risk of violence. In: Journal of Adolescence. 52, 191–200. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.005 [Access 20.06.2018].
Udris, R. (2016), Cyber Deviance among adolescents and the role of family, school, and neighborhood: a cross-national study. In: International Journal of Cyber Criminology. 10 (2), 127–146.
Van Der AA, S. (2017), New Trends in the Criminalization of Stalking in the EU Member States. In: European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. 1–19. In: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-017-9359-9 [Access 20.06.2018].
Van Der AA, S. (2010), Stalking in the Netherlands. Nature and prevalence of the problem and the effectiveness of anti-stalking measures. diss. Antwerpen. 10 forms of cyberbullying. In: http://stop-ugroza.ru/life/10-form-kiberbullinga-ot-kids-kaspersky-ru [Access 20.06.2018].
Arkhipov, I. K. (2011), About the “transfer of information” in the literal and metonymic sense. In: Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski. II, 453–464. (In Russ.).
Baeva, L. (2017), Values of mediasphere and E-Culture. In: Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski. VIII/1, 173–184.
Bocij, P. (2004), Cyberstalking: harrassment in the Internet age and how to protect your family. Westport, CT (US).
Bocij, P. (2006), The dark side of the Internet: protecting yourself and your family from online criminals. Westport, CT (US).
Bocij, P./Mcfarlane, L. (2004), Cyberstalking: a discussion of legislation and the perpetrators. In: Justice of the Peace. 168 (21), 393–396.
Dean, M. (2012, October 18), The Story of Amanda Todd. The New Yorker. In: http.//newyorker.com [Access 20.06.2018].
Fedorova, L. L. (2016), Discourse of mass demonstrations. In: Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski. VII/1, 101–119 (In Russ.).
Groups of Death: Threat to Russia’s National Security. In: http://kavkazgeoclub.ru/content/groups-death-threat-russias-national-security [Access 20.06.2018].
Horsman, G./Conniss, L. R. (2015), An investigation of anonymous and spoof SMS resources used for the purposes of cyberstalking. In: Digital Investigation. 13, 80–93: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diin.2015.04.001.
Ivlieva, N. V./Krasnova, K. A./Nikolaeva, E. S. (2015), Problems arising from the abolition of the security measures applied to protected persons. In: Scientific portal of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation. 3 (31), 57–62. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2005a), Consideration of relevant legal aspects of the use of methods of applied psychology in the investigative practices of law enforcement bodies of the Russian Federation in the classroom with law students. In: Volkov, E. V. (Ed.), Psychological and pedagogical support of the educational process in higher education and ways to improve it, 103–108. Moscow. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2005b), The signs of a crime and their value for qualification of a crime against life under Russian law. In: Gladkih, V. I. (Ed.), Scientific-research work of students and its role in improving the quality of the educational process, 61–71. Moscow. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2007a), Experience and problems of warning of transnational organized crime in the sphere of high technologies. In: Nomokonov, V. A. (Ed.), Russia and Asia-Pacific region: problems of safety, migration and crime, 180–186. Vladivostok. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2007b), The main factors which contribute committing crimes of an extremist nature on the part of religious totalitarian sects operating in Russia. In: The Russian investigator. 22, 18–21. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2009), The use of psychological methods of arrangement of memory of victims, witnesses and suspects in investigative practices of law enforcement bodies of the Russian Federation and foreign countries. In: Legal psychology. 6, 10–14. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2014), The factors determining crime in emergencies. In: Tseplyaeva, G. I. (Ed.), Actual problems of criminal law and criminology, criminal process and criminology, criminal executive law, teaching criminology, 62–68. Petrozavodsk. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2015), About the concept the identity of the offender, as one of the important problems of criminological science. In: Ashmarina, S. I. (Ed.), Fundamental and applied studies in the modern world. 4, 90–92. Sankt-Petersburg: Information and publishing educational and scientific center “Strategy for the future”. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2016a), About modern information technologies used by extremist groups, and the need to counter cybercrime. In: Bulletin of development of science and education. 6, 4–9. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2016b), Analysis of the nature of terrorism and its determining factors in terms of the middle of the second decade of the XXI century. In: Police activity, doi: 10.7256/2222- 1964.2016.6.21353 (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2017a), The threats of cyberstalking – the most important problem studied in the framework of improving aspects of information security of regions in the conditions of globalization of information space. In: Bulletin of Prikamsky Social Institute. 1 (76), 27–35. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N. (2017b), The use information resources by law enforcement authorities for counteraction to human trafficking. In: Matrix of scientific knowledge. 2, 47–49. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N./Krasnova, K. A. (2009a), About an indemnification problem to the victim at a stage of preliminary investigation. In: Criminal procedure. 4, 30–33. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N./Krasnova, K. A. (2009b), Problems of compensation of harm to the victim at the preliminary investigation stage. In: Lawyer’s practice. 6, 76–94. (In Russ.).
Kobets, P. N./Krasnova, K. A. (2015), The experience of organizing witness protection programmes in the European Union. In: Jurisprudence. 1, 86–91. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2014a), Institutional framework of witness protection in the European Union. In: International criminal law and the international justice. 1, 20–23. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2014b), International legal warranties of safety of the victims and witnesses in the European Union. In: International legal courier. 6, 11–15. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2015a), Legal and organizational bases crime prevention against participants of criminal legal proceedings by law-enforcement bodies. In: The Russian investigator. 22, 38–41. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2015b), Witness protection in the member states of the EU. In: International law. 4, 66–86. (In Russ.).
Krasnova, K. A. (2016), The legal framework of witness protection programmes in the European Union. In: Lawyer’s practice. 1, 39–44. (In Russ.). Cyberstalking: public danger, key factors and prevention 53
Krasnova, K. A./Agapov, P. V. (2014), Psychological influence and its value in operational search activities for organized crime cases. In: Legal psychology. 2, 19–23. (In Russ.).
Lozovitskaya, G. P./Krasnova, K. A./Dyachenko, N. N. (2010), Ensuring use of state protection’s measures of victims, witnesses and other participants of criminal legal proceedings. In: Gaps in the Russian legislation. 4, 192–194. (In Russ.).
Marganski, A. (2017), Sexting in Poland and the United States: A Comparative study of personal and social situational factors. In: International journal of cyber criminology. 11 (2), 183–201.
Mathieson, S. A. (2005), Cyberstalking in the urban jungle. In: Infosecurity today. 2 (2), 34–36.
Meloy, J. R. (2011), Approaching and attacking public figures: a contemporary analysis of communications and behaviour. In: http://drreidmeloy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/reidchapter.pdf [Access 20.06.2018].
Miller, L. (2012), Stalking: Patterns, motives, and intervention strategies. In: Aggression and Violent Behavior. 17 (6), 495–506. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2012.07.001 [Access 20.06.2018].
Mullen, P. E./Pathé, M./Purcell, R. (2001), Stalking: New constructions of human behaviour. In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 35, 9–16.
Official site of the Federal service for supervision of consumer rights protection and well-being of the population: http://rospotrebnadzor.ru/region/rss/rss.php?ELEMENT_ID=5804/ [Access 20.06.2018].
Reyns, B. W./Englebrecht, C. M. (2010), The stalking victim’s decision to contact the police: A test of Gottfredson and Gottfredson’s theory of criminal justice decision making. In: Journal of Criminal
Justice. 38 (5), 998–1005. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.07.001 [Access 20.06.2018].
Sitdikova, L. B./Shilovskaya, A. L./Volkova M. A./Lenkovskaya, R. R./Stepanova, N. A. (2015),
Legal regulation and copyright protection in Internet in Russia and abroad. In: Mediterranean journal of social sciences. 6 (6), 163–169.
Smith-Darden, J. P./Reidy, D. E./Kernsmith, P. D. (2016), Adolescent stalking and risk of violence. In: Journal of Adolescence. 52, 191–200. In: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.005 [Access 20.06.2018].
Udris, R. (2016), Cyber Deviance among adolescents and the role of family, school, and neighborhood: a cross-national study. In: International Journal of Cyber Criminology. 10 (2), 127–146.
Van Der AA, S. (2017), New Trends in the Criminalization of Stalking in the EU Member States. In: European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. 1–19. In: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-017-9359-9 [Access 20.06.2018].
Van Der AA, S. (2010), Stalking in the Netherlands. Nature and prevalence of the problem and the effectiveness of anti-stalking measures. diss. Antwerpen. 10 forms of cyberbullying. In: http://stop-ugroza.ru/life/10-form-kiberbullinga-ot-kids-kaspersky-ru [Access 20.06.2018].
Kobets, P., & Krasnova, K. (2019). Cyberstalking: public danger, key factors and prevention. Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski, 9(2), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.31648/pw.3001
Peter Kobets
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation
Kristina Krasnova
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation
National Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation
