Beyond the Screen: The Lived Experiences of Cyberstalking Victims

• In Event: Online Harm, Just a Single Swipe Away!: Harassment, Coercion, and the Internet

Abstract

Stalking is an act that is typically characterized by the impact that it has on victims — in most instances, for a pattern of behavior to be classified as ‘stalking’ it is essential that there has been fear or trauma experienced by the person targeted. As a victim-defined behavior, it is crucial to understand the lived experience of individuals who have been through this type of victimization. This is especially important in the specific context of cyberstalking, which presents new challenges due to the heightened level of access it provides perpetrators, and the constantly evolving pathways into offending that technology offers. This presentation explores the findings of a series of qualitative interviews conducted with self-identified victims of online harassment or cyberstalking. It will discuss not just the practical contexts in which their victimization occurred, but also how these experiences impacted on them personally, and offer victim-centered recommendations for how to respond to problematic online behaviors.

Authors

• Kylie McCarthy, University of New Haven

• Paul Bleakley, University of Kentucky