#Friends-of-irc Channel Classes

Cyberstalking Class

***************************

This page should not be taken as legal counsel , but only as recommendation from a collection of sources.

There are two different kinds of cyberstalking situations,
1. Online cyberstalking and harassment that stays Online, and
2. Online harassment and stalking that ventures offline too.

Although both are terrifying, only one is physically dangerous. And the laws in your jurisdiction may only cover offline stalking and harassment. Right now only 17 us states have cyberstalking laws in place.

CyberStalking usually occurs with women, who are stalked by men, or children who are stalked by adult predators.

Typically, the cyberstalking victim is new Online, and inexperienced with the rules of netiquette (Online etiquette). In other words, if you act like a target, you stand a better chance of being one.

The stalker feels empowered by the perceived anonymity Online. They feel they can hide behind their monitor. But, unless you have found a truly sick and depraved stalker, most lose interest quickly if they don't get the reaction they seek.

So our number one advice is DO NOT RESPOND TO A PERSON HARASSING YOU.

Don't be a victim!

And, if you get the sense that the person may try to stalk you offline, call your local police immediately!

Why would you give your name and address over the 'Net anyway?

How about, newbie, a young child, their first day Online alone. Someone /msg them and says, "I represent xyx isp" which this child happens to be logged in to, and then says, "You have to id to me with your name and address or your account will be terminated."

Can anyone envision a situation where the child might give out the info in that circumstance? Would an inexperienced person necessarily know better?

Lots of people give out their passwords that way.So, how do you arm yourself?

***************************

Know the Online safety rules:
Don't respond to flaming (provocation Online).
Choose a genderless screen name.
Don't flirt Online,
unless you're prepared for the consequences.
This is just like real life.
Yes, you have the right to flirt.
And you have the right to a sexy nickname.
Sometimes it's better just to back off a bit
and not exercise all your rights all the time.

***************************

Save offending messages and report them to your service provider. Get out of a situation Online that has become hostile, log off or surf elsewhere.

YES I said it, turn OFF the computer!

So why does cyberstalking happen so much? Take an estimate in real life of How many real people do you think you meet in real life...new ones, a day? And how many new people could you meet here tonight?

Let's see. right now on chatworks there are probably about 200 people. On Undernet there are about 25,000. So let's say--and this is a guess here--let's say one percent of the people in the world are weirdos. What's one percent of 10 people? For arguements sake we have to pick a number, so if 10 percent of the world is weirdos, every time you meet 10 new people one of them is weird. So on Chatworks tonight that is what, 20 weirdos?

Scarey thought!

Cyberstalking is also much easier to practice than IRL stalking - in cyberspace a stalker can harass their target without ever having to leave the comfort of their own home. It makes it much easier for a stalker to look harmless if his nick can be lilbopeep instead of Son of Sam.

So how worried do we really have to be?

The Internet is a wonderful place. But the fact that it is a wonderful place to work, play and study should not make users blind to its dark side. The Net is no more and no less than a mirror of the real world. That means it also contains electronic versions of real life problems.

Stalking and harassment are problems that many people, especially women, are familiar with offline.

The same rules apply Online as off.

Don't talk to strangers. Well how do you do that Online? Everyone is a stranger. How do you know Nitebreez didn't get up and go to bed, and hubby could be sitting here now or nite's brother or a neighbor. Even when you know someone Online, you don't know them.

Some number crunching

***************************

Both men and women can be stalked Online, but the majority of victims, as offline, are female (IRL (in real life) stalking estimates conclude that 80% of stalking victims are female). Likewise, most cyberstalkers are male (although there are some female stalkers too).

Current estimates are that there are 200,000 real life stalkers in America today, out of a population of around 250 million, that is 0.008% of the US population: in other words roughly 1 in 1250 persons is a stalker.

In other words roughly 1 in 1250 persons is a stalker. It is estimated that over 1.5 million Americans today have been or are currently stalking victims: that is 0.6% of the population, or 1 person in 166.

If these ratios were reflected on the internet (and no one actually knows these figures), then out of the estimated Online population of 79 million people worldwide, we would find 63,000 internet stalkers cruising the information superhighway, stalking an estimated 474,000 targets.

If you thought that owning a computer and having an internet account must by definition make a person an intelligent, professional, considerate and respectful individual - think again. There are just as many predators in cyberspace as anywhere else. It is only their methods that have changed.

Some of them might harass you by trailing around after you in live channels like lovesick puppies, unable to take NO for an answer and pestering you with messages.

In some cases this harassment may become a systematic campaign against you, where your harasser bombards you with threatening messages of hate and obscenity.

As if this is not distressful enough, the situation can even escalate to the point where your harasser traces your home address and telephone number, and then you are facing not just emotional distress but physical risks too.

It should come as no surprise to users that a minority of predators are abusing this wonderful technology to harass and distress people and prey on the innocent. Why wouldn't they?

Not all predators are street punks with no education. Some are university graduates with computers.

So you don't think you can be traced? Does it have to be to home? Couldn't a stalker follow you to work or the library or wherever you are?

What is stalking?

***************************

Many incidents of stalking have some things in common:

Malice, causes distress, no legitimate purpose premeditation, obsession, personally directed repetition, vendetta, disregarded warnings to stop.

Malice means: the desire and intention to terrorize and hurt you. Much cyberstalking is malicious in nature. Malice is usually indicated by the presence and communication of clear and direct threats made against you by the harasser.

Not all cyberstalking, however, is malicious. In cases of "love obsession" cyberstalking for example, the stalker has no visible intent to harm you, and while their behavior may cause you great distress, they do not necessarily realize that they are doing so, since they are often lost in a fantasy world where they believe you are secretly in love with them.

Other forms of Online harassment are also not necessarily malicious. Some Online harassment takes the form of practical jokes at your expense, and while this may be unpleasant and cause you great inconvenience, annoyance, fear or distress, the harasser may not have intended to cause you harm.

Premeditation means: the presence of planning and organization. Not all harassment is premeditated. Some may be the result of a sudden emotional outburst, where someone loses their temper with you and lashes out at you electronically.

This may indeed cause you distress but could not be called premeditated, since the attack was sudden and not planned.

Some kinds of harassment can be set in motion instantly and without preparation. Others take time to prepare. Some require the setting up and use of special hostile computer attack programs. Others may require extensive research into your personal information on the internet.

The nature of the harassment you are experiencing will often tell you if you are dealing with a premeditated attack or an unplanned passionate outburst.

Repetition means: the harassment is not just a single isolated incident. Repetition is a key feature of Online stalking. A one off attack Online, while it may cause you distress, could not be described as cyberstalking.

Cyberstalking is a course of conduct that takes place over a period of time and involves repeated attempts to cause you distress. Some laws even define it as involving two or more incidents and following a repetitive pattern.

And don't be fooled into thinking the predators don't know the law. Often predators walk that line between annoyance and harassment.

Distress means: the activity causes fear and distress to you the target. You could not claim cyberstalking or even Online harassment if you do not feel distressed in some way.

Distress can take many forms, from annoyance, offense, inconvenience and humiliation to worry and fear for your safety. The presence of fear is an important characteristic of cyberstalking.

You also need to be careful that you are yourself not overreacting. In legal terms, stalking is usually defined as a course of conduct that causes a "reasonable person" to be in distress.

You may react in a paranoid or hysterical way to something that is said or done Online, but you can not claim cyberstalking unless you can also show that your reaction is "reasonable", that is, that any other reasonable person would react in the same way.

To show a court that you suffered distress as a result of Online stalking , you really need the testimony of expert witnesses - these could be your doctor or counselor who you went to for help or medication concerning the incident.

If you don't go for medical help regarding your distress then expect the stalker's lawyer to suggest to the court that you were not really that distressed at all.

This often has the effect of making the victim feel doubly victimized-- once by the predator, then by the legal system.

***************************

Obsession means: the stalker cannot stop, despite warnings. To establish this behavior you would need to have given a very clear warning to the harasser to leave you alone.

Obsessive behavior is common both in hate vendettas against you and also in what is known as "love obsession" stalking, where the stalkers believe themselves to be in love with their targets.

For love obsession stalkers, your "NO" means "YES". It is a common occurrence for stalkers to violate restraining orders and probation, or even lose their jobs, to continue stalking the object of their obsession.

***************************

Vendetta means: the stalker seeks revenge against you. Hate vendettas are a common cause of harassment Online. Stalkers and harassers often convince themselves that you have deserved their hostile attention and that they are in the right.

They often persuade themselves that you have committed a great wrong and that they are in the position of right. Revenge may be sought for no reasonable offense at all.

***************************

No legitimate purpose means: the harassment has no valid purpose, other than to terrorize you and Some stalkers persuade themselves that they have just cause to harass you, usually on the grounds that you deserve to be punished for some wrong they claim you have committed.

Other stalkers have no announced purpose other than to make you suffer. In either case the stalking serves no legitimate purpose.

***************************

"It would be in your best interests to not possibly provoke attacks by being the initiator of hostile actions."

Personal means: the harassment is directed at YOU personally. General attacks on groups, companies Online or chat channels could not be called stalking. Stalking means you and you alone are the target.

DISREGARDED WARNINGS TO STOP means: you have given a clear and direct warning to the stalker to stop, and the stalker ignores your clear warning. You cannot claim that you are being stalked Online if you have never said "Leave me alone" to the stalker.

One standard defense used by stalkers in court is to claim that you were encouraging their attentions, and that you never said "NO".

That wraps up our intro to cyberstalking info, this is a HUGE topic. Any questions you may have are best directed to our cyberstalking experts [email protected]

Cyberangels are a wonderful orginization on the web that can help anytime you find yourself in trouble , many thank to them for much of the informatin I will be presenting in these classes.

***************************

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#Friends-of-irc Channel Classes

Cyberstalking Class

***************************

This page should not be taken as legal counsel , but only as recommendation from a collection of sources.

There are two different kinds of cyberstalking situations, 1. Online cyberstalking and harassment that stays Online, and 2. Online harassment and stalking that ventures offline too.

Although both are terrifying, only one is physically dangerous. And the laws in your jurisdiction may only cover offline stalking and harassment. Right now only 17 us states have cyberstalking laws in place.

CyberStalking usually occurs with women, who are stalked by men, or children who are stalked by adult predators.

Typically, the cyberstalking victim is new Online, and inexperienced with the rules of netiquette (Online etiquette). In other words, if you act like a target, you stand a better chance of being one.

The stalker feels empowered by the perceived anonymity Online. They feel they can hide behind their monitor. But, unless you have found a truly sick and depraved stalker, most lose interest quickly if they don't get the reaction they seek.

So our number one advice is DO NOT RESPOND TO A PERSON HARASSING YOU.

Don't be a victim!

And, if you get the sense that the person may try to stalk you offline, call your local police immediately!

Why would you give your name and address over the 'Net anyway?

How about, newbie, a young child, their first day Online alone. Someone /msg them and says, "I represent xyx isp" which this child happens to be logged in to, and then says, "You have to id to me with your name and address or your account will be terminated."

Can anyone envision a situation where the child might give out the info in that circumstance? Would an inexperienced person necessarily know better?

Lots of people give out their passwords that way.So, how do you arm yourself?

***************************

***************************

Save offending messages and report them to your service provider. Get out of a situation Online that has become hostile, log off or surf elsewhere.

YES I said it, turn OFF the computer!

So why does cyberstalking happen so much? Take an estimate in real life of How many real people do you think you meet in real life...new ones, a day? And how many new people could you meet here tonight?

Scarey thought!

Cyberstalking is also much easier to practice than IRL stalking - in cyberspace a stalker can harass their target without ever having to leave the comfort of their own home. It makes it much easier for a stalker to look harmless if his nick can be lilbopeep instead of Son of Sam.

So how worried do we really have to be?

The Internet is a wonderful place. But the fact that it is a wonderful place to work, play and study should not make users blind to its dark side. The Net is no more and no less than a mirror of the real world. That means it also contains electronic versions of real life problems.

Stalking and harassment are problems that many people, especially women, are familiar with offline.

The same rules apply Online as off.

Don't talk to strangers. Well how do you do that Online? Everyone is a stranger. How do you know Nitebreez didn't get up and go to bed, and hubby could be sitting here now or nite's brother or a neighbor. Even when you know someone Online, you don't know them.

Some number crunching

***************************

Both men and women can be stalked Online, but the majority of victims, as offline, are female (IRL (in real life) stalking estimates conclude that 80% of stalking victims are female). Likewise, most cyberstalkers are male (although there are some female stalkers too).

Current estimates are that there are 200,000 real life stalkers in America today, out of a population of around 250 million, that is 0.008% of the US population: in other words roughly 1 in 1250 persons is a stalker.

In other words roughly 1 in 1250 persons is a stalker. It is estimated that over 1.5 million Americans today have been or are currently stalking victims: that is 0.6% of the population, or 1 person in 166.

If these ratios were reflected on the internet (and no one actually knows these figures), then out of the estimated Online population of 79 million people worldwide, we would find 63,000 internet stalkers cruising the information superhighway, stalking an estimated 474,000 targets.

If you thought that owning a computer and having an internet account must by definition make a person an intelligent, professional, considerate and respectful individual - think again. There are just as many predators in cyberspace as anywhere else. It is only their methods that have changed.

Some of them might harass you by trailing around after you in live channels like lovesick puppies, unable to take NO for an answer and pestering you with messages.

In some cases this harassment may become a systematic campaign against you, where your harasser bombards you with threatening messages of hate and obscenity.

As if this is not distressful enough, the situation can even escalate to the point where your harasser traces your home address and telephone number, and then you are facing not just emotional distress but physical risks too.

It should come as no surprise to users that a minority of predators are abusing this wonderful technology to harass and distress people and prey on the innocent. Why wouldn't they?

Not all predators are street punks with no education. Some are university graduates with computers.

So you don't think you can be traced? Does it have to be to home? Couldn't a stalker follow you to work or the library or wherever you are?

What is stalking?

***************************

Many incidents of stalking have some things in common:

Malice, causes distress, no legitimate purpose premeditation, obsession, personally directed repetition, vendetta, disregarded warnings to stop.

Malice means: the desire and intention to terrorize and hurt you. Much cyberstalking is malicious in nature. Malice is usually indicated by the presence and communication of clear and direct threats made against you by the harasser.

Other forms of Online harassment are also not necessarily malicious. Some Online harassment takes the form of practical jokes at your expense, and while this may be unpleasant and cause you great inconvenience, annoyance, fear or distress, the harasser may not have intended to cause you harm.

Premeditation means: the presence of planning and organization. Not all harassment is premeditated. Some may be the result of a sudden emotional outburst, where someone loses their temper with you and lashes out at you electronically.

This may indeed cause you distress but could not be called premeditated, since the attack was sudden and not planned.

Some kinds of harassment can be set in motion instantly and without preparation. Others take time to prepare. Some require the setting up and use of special hostile computer attack programs. Others may require extensive research into your personal information on the internet.

The nature of the harassment you are experiencing will often tell you if you are dealing with a premeditated attack or an unplanned passionate outburst.

Repetition means: the harassment is not just a single isolated incident. Repetition is a key feature of Online stalking. A one off attack Online, while it may cause you distress, could not be described as cyberstalking.

Cyberstalking is a course of conduct that takes place over a period of time and involves repeated attempts to cause you distress. Some laws even define it as involving two or more incidents and following a repetitive pattern.

And don't be fooled into thinking the predators don't know the law. Often predators walk that line between annoyance and harassment.

Distress means: the activity causes fear and distress to you the target. You could not claim cyberstalking or even Online harassment if you do not feel distressed in some way.

Distress can take many forms, from annoyance, offense, inconvenience and humiliation to worry and fear for your safety. The presence of fear is an important characteristic of cyberstalking.

You also need to be careful that you are yourself not overreacting. In legal terms, stalking is usually defined as a course of conduct that causes a "reasonable person" to be in distress.

You may react in a paranoid or hysterical way to something that is said or done Online, but you can not claim cyberstalking unless you can also show that your reaction is "reasonable", that is, that any other reasonable person would react in the same way.

To show a court that you suffered distress as a result of Online stalking , you really need the testimony of expert witnesses - these could be your doctor or counselor who you went to for help or medication concerning the incident.

If you don't go for medical help regarding your distress then expect the stalker's lawyer to suggest to the court that you were not really that distressed at all.

This often has the effect of making the victim feel doubly victimized-- once by the predator, then by the legal system.

***************************

Obsession means: the stalker cannot stop, despite warnings. To establish this behavior you would need to have given a very clear warning to the harasser to leave you alone.

Obsessive behavior is common both in hate vendettas against you and also in what is known as "love obsession" stalking, where the stalkers believe themselves to be in love with their targets.

For love obsession stalkers, your "NO" means "YES". It is a common occurrence for stalkers to violate restraining orders and probation, or even lose their jobs, to continue stalking the object of their obsession.

***************************

Vendetta means: the stalker seeks revenge against you. Hate vendettas are a common cause of harassment Online. Stalkers and harassers often convince themselves that you have deserved their hostile attention and that they are in the right.

They often persuade themselves that you have committed a great wrong and that they are in the position of right. Revenge may be sought for no reasonable offense at all.

***************************

No legitimate purpose means: the harassment has no valid purpose, other than to terrorize you and Some stalkers persuade themselves that they have just cause to harass you, usually on the grounds that you deserve to be punished for some wrong they claim you have committed.

Other stalkers have no announced purpose other than to make you suffer. In either case the stalking serves no legitimate purpose.

***************************

"It would be in your best interests to not possibly provoke attacks by being the initiator of hostile actions."

Personal means: the harassment is directed at YOU personally. General attacks on groups, companies Online or chat channels could not be called stalking. Stalking means you and you alone are the target.

DISREGARDED WARNINGS TO STOP means: you have given a clear and direct warning to the stalker to stop, and the stalker ignores your clear warning. You cannot claim that you are being stalked Online if you have never said "Leave me alone" to the stalker.

One standard defense used by stalkers in court is to claim that you were encouraging their attentions, and that you never said "NO".

That wraps up our intro to cyberstalking info, this is a HUGE topic. Any questions you may have are best directed to our cyberstalking experts [email protected]

Cyberangels are a wonderful orginization on the web that can help anytime you find yourself in trouble , many thank to them for much of the informatin I will be presenting in these classes.

***************************

#Friends-of-irc is located: On Mirc It is a Dalnet channel You can either : Just type /join #Friends-of-irc or add it to your channel list

There are two different kinds of cyberstalking situations,
1. Online cyberstalking and harassment that stays Online, and
2. Online harassment and stalking that ventures offline too.