Stalking Research Paper

Stalking under Technology

I. Name: M.A., Turpin

II. Class: Intro to Justice TR 11:30-12:45

III. Date: 4/5/2018

IV. Article Citation.

Woodlock, D. (2016). The Abuse of Technology in Domestic Violence and

Stalking. Violence Against Women, 23(5), pp.584-602.

V. Summary of Article.

This Journal goes over the uses of technology and how it benefits stalkers and people that commit domestic violence. The journal begins with facts about stalking, which is often committed by intimate partners or ex-partners. It is almost never done by a stranger or even a known acquaintance. The act of stalking is done by a close person that knows the suspect deeply.

Most of the statistics come from research done in Australia which presents the facts that women are far more likely to be stalked at a higher rate than men and they are far more likely to be paranoid of being stalked. Stalking by an intimate partner has a higher risk for leading to more serious types of violence. This violence is not limited to only abuse, assault, and but includes severe means including homicide. Too often these crimes are not taken seriously and stalking in as a general matter is rarely taken seriously. This is due to most ideas of stalking are incorrectly

portrayed by media. Most studies done found that the police and community, as a whole, think that stranger stalking is far more dangerous. Most intimate stalking can happen for many years, far longer than any other type of stalking. This has only gotten worse with the new age of information technology. Victims face unwanted phone calls, texts, surveillance and a deeper intimate knowledge of their lives, which is gained from online spying. Technology has made placing bugs in mobile phone easier, due to their smaller size. Even small house hold items can hide or even become secret video recorders, microphone or both. Phones, computers, home security cameras are easy to hack for stalkers that know what they are doing.
Unwanted phone calls or texts might seem inconsequential or can be easy ignored for someone not being stalked to look over or think lightly of. But these repeated actions have a huge power over victims, causing depression and anxiety The withdrawal that these mental illnesses have for some people can be life changing; thus, the stalker get what they wanted. The victims do not talk with others and they keep to themselves making them isolated. A study done in the US showed that 25% of staking victims reported being stalked by technology, email and other forms of telecommunication. Realizing that this was a study done in 2009, when many people still didn’t have smart phones, the percentage is said to be now far higher and will only get higher with the passing years as people get more interconnected with technology.
Stalking within the context of domestic violence allows predators to use many different ways of control. The three most commonly used are smart phones, mobile phones i.e. flip phones, and social media, all three of these daily actives were used by 82% of stalkers.
One victim indicated, that their stalker would text over 50 times a day and that they were under constant surveillance. The stalker continued for a year after a relationship was ended and his behavior only escalated until the victim received over 100 texts a day.
Another victim wrote that not only had the stalker placed a GPS tracker in her phone but also in her car.
Sometimes even when a perpetrator is blocked on a social media platform they would get a proxy stalker and convince a friend or family member to “watch” the victim to help keep them safe this is easier done if the victim has their child.
Not only is technology used to stalk someone it is also used to humidity or punish victims as stated stalkers have an intimate relationship with their victims. So, they could have illicit photos of the victims, bank account information, social numbers, and many other horrible information. That they can use against the victims. They can threaten to release these materials to broadcast damming content to friends, family, or coworkers.

VI. Commentary.
I had a deep understanding of this topic.

I was a late teen in high school, he had started off as a friend, but he had thought we were more than friends even though I stated he was a friend. It started off with him texting me five times a day. I told not to text me that much: I prefer not to text people, I barely text one person more than two texts a day but he didn’t listen. He started to text me more and more asking me what I was doing, who I was with. He told me explicit information that I still to this day don’t want to go over. When I finally cut off ties with him but he didn’t stop texting me he even showed up at my work even when I hadn’t told him were I worked. What scared me about this interaction was this all took place over one

week.

But the thing that made me really interested in this journal was the use of telematics in cars. Telematics is a system used in many car insurance companies to promote safe driving, with the ability to stop a car from being used at certain times of day or night, slowing a vehicle if police are pursuing, having a speed limit set and a GPS in case of accidents for easy road side assistance. These seem like great things for a parent to keep their children safe and keeping the roads safe. But in the hands of a domestic abuser, or a stalker this is a dangerous weapon because most of this telematics can be hooked up to a phone app.
This Journal when over how stalkers and domestic abusers use technology, which to be honest if down right frightening. But the Journal wasn’t all fire and brim stone the rise of technology has made it easier to seek help and it has help bring awareness to these crimes. I myself learned from an online forum that most of telematics can be removed by professional mechanics. Also, now some police displace units can receive texts some, phones have a panic button that sends out an alert to family and friends. Yes, technology as made stalking someone easier, but it has also helped people get out of those situations.