Domestic Violence: Stalking and Cyberstalking

Course overview

Although each state has their own legal definition of stalking, the consensus is that stalking is when a stalker repeatedly contacts their victim without the victims consent. These victims may be a stranger, a casual acquaintance, a current or previous partner, and so forth. It is estimated that 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetimes, and that 1.4 million people are stalked annually in the United States. Stalking is one technique used by a domestic abuser to gain control and power over their victim. Stalking is not only done physically, but may also be done via technology. This technology, called cyberstalking, gives them additional anonymity. This course will cover how stalking is conducted, the impact stalking has on the victims and tips to take to protect oneself from stalking. Keywords: domestic violence, stalking, cyberstalking, technology, documentation, prevention, kidnapping, homicide, power, control