Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking Essay

Criminal Justice

Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking

Cyberbullying is a new threat to children where they can be harassed by way of technology such as social media, instant messaging or cell phone texting (Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking, 2012). Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet, email or other electronic communications to stalk, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening or malicious behaviors (State Cyberstalking and Cyberharassment Laws, 2012). Cyberstalking may be considered the most dangerous of the three types of Internet harassment, based on a posing credible threat of harm. Cyberstalking while is typically directed at an individual but can also be harassment directed harassment at a group of individuals or an organization (Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking, 2012). There are people on one side that felt that cyber bullying and cyber stalking are serious crimes which should be punished severely while there are others that feel that since the stalking only takes place in the virtual world it is therefore less harmful than physically bullying and/or actual stalking behavior and should not be punished severely.

"According to the U.S. Department of Justice, about 850,000 people are targets of cyberstalking every year. About 20% of online stalkers use social networking sites to stalk their victims" (Cyberstalking & Cyberbullying Have Lasting Effects, 2011).New research has shown that people who are stalked or harassed online have elevated levels of stress and trauma than people who are stalked or harassed in person. More and more stalkers are utilizing modern technology in order to watch and torture their victims. Researchers say reactions to the stress and trauma undergone by the victims may comprise constant stress, nervousness, terror, nightmares, shock and disbelief, feelings of defenselessness, hyper-vigilance, changes in eating, and sleeping troubles. Research shows that those who obsess about being cyber bullied are more likely to undergo severe stress. "Students who focus on more positive thoughts are able to recover more quickly and cope better. The research also shows that students who are cyber bullied by others are more likely to cyber bully themselves" (Cyberstalking & Cyberbullying Have Lasting Effects, 2011). It is for these reasons that many believe that cyberbullying and cyberstalking are very serious crimes and should be punished accordingly.

The other side of this argument rests not on the fact that cyberbullying and cyberstalking isn't serious but in the fact….....