Chapter 14
Cyberstalking
On completion of this chapter, the student will:
– Recognize that fixation is a prominent feature of cyberstalking.
– Be aware that cyberstalking may be accompanied by more traditional, physical forms.
– Recognize that cyberstalking is based on power over the victim.
– Be aware that, although often the cyberstalker has been equated with the victim, this may
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The first state in the United States to enact a law to deal with cyberstalkers was:
2. The first cyberstalking law in the US was passed in:
3. Stalkers want to exert power over their victims, primarily through:
4. l a victim increases with the amount of
information that he can gather, such as:
5. Stalkers have taken to the Internet because:
6. An implication from studies indicating that many stalkers had prior acquaintance with
their victims is that:
7. An excellent set of guidelines developed specifically for victims of stalking is available
from:
8. When a cyberstalking case is stalled, it is a good idea to interview the victim again,
because:
9. In determining how and why the offender selected a specific victim, the investigator
should determine whether the cyberstalker:
10. A key aspect of developing victimology is determining victim and offender _____.
11. When searching for evidence of cyberstalking, it is useful to distinguish between an
ors and ____________ behaviors.
12. That part of cyberstalking where the offender is using the Internet to find a victim is
known as:
13. When a cyberstalker chooses victims at random, he is said to be an:
14. The initial stage in a cyberstalking investigation is to:
15. It is extremely important for the investigator to be extremely cautious when dealing with
a stalking case because:
True or False Questions
1. Cyberstalking works in a completely different way than stalking in the physical world.
2. In general stalkers want to exert power over their victims in some way, primarily through
fear.
3.
4. The Internet contains a vast amount of personal information about people but it is
relatively difficult to search for specific items.
5. Studies indicate that stalkers will always have prior acquaintance with their victims.
6. When interviewing the victim, investigators should be as tactful as possible while
questioning everything, and assume nothing.
7. A key aspect of developing victimology is determining victim and offender risk.
8. The first step in a cyberstalking investigation is to conduct the victimology and risk
assessment.
9. The victim is usually only aware of the harassing component of cyberstalking.
10. There is never correlation between the vi tivities and physical
surroundings or real-world activities.
11. When searching for evidence of cyberstalking, it is useful to distinguish between the
rreptitious monitoring behaviors.
12. The primary aim of the motivational stage of the investigation is to understand the
victim-offender relationship.
13. As part of the investigation, an investigator should ask why a particular stalker used the
Internet.
14. Investigators might not be able to define the primary crime scene clearly because digital
evidence is often spread all over the Internet.
15. As part of the interview process, the investigator should tell the victim that the stalker
Essay Questions
1. Regardless of the type of investigation, i
ith cyberstalking victims, those questions
2. Discuss how you would apply the concept of crime scene characteristics to a
3. Discuss how you would explain your risk assessment findings to the victim.
Scenario
You have been contacted by a young woman complaining her ex-boyfriend is reading and
blocking her e-mail. In the course of your interview with the victim, she tells you that the e-mail
account is with AOL, and it is actually registered to and paid for by the ex-boyfriend. It seems
that while they were together, he set up an account for her under his account.