Cyber Stalking

[sheshe2]

The Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts

Attorney General
Maura Healey

snip//
Information for Victims

If you are a victim of cyber stalking, it is important that you know the steps available to promote your safety, document the harassment, and initiate an end to the abuse. Victims who are teens or children should immediately tell their parents or another adult they trust about any harassment or threats. Adult victims should send a clear, written warning to the harasser to stop the contact or harassing behavior. It is important however to avoid getting into a "back-and-forth" exchange with the harasser. If at any time you feel your physical safety is in jeopardy you should contact your local police department for assistance.

Documenting all communication with the offender and any organizations you contact for help in stopping the harassment may be of assistance should the harassment continue. Saved documentation can include all emails, postings, or other communications including log files from IM and chat clients in both electronic and hardcopy format that are not altered or edited in any way. You may want to explore whether you can block the offender through your email program or chat room. If the behavior continues, you may also file a complaint with your Internet service provider (ISP) and your harasser's Internet service provider (ISP). Most ISP's have a department that is available to speak with you.

If the harassment continues, or if at any time you fear for your personal safety, contact your local police department. If the local police are unable to assist you, the Massachusetts State Police, your local District Attorney's office, or the Attorney General's may be able to provide assistance.

For further information about cyber stalking and how to protect visit: www.haltabuse.org, www.nnedv.org and www.ncvc.org.


Massachusetts Laws Governing Cyber Stalking

M.G.L. c. 265, s. 43: defines stalking as willfully and maliciously engaging in conduct that seriously alarms or annoys a specific person and would cause reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress and makes a threat with the intent to place person in fear of death or bodily injury. Such conduct, acts or threats include, but are not limited to, conduct, acts or threats conducted by mail or by use of a telephonic or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications and facsimile communications. Stalking is a felony that is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for up to five years or by a fine of not more than $1000, or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than two and one-half years or both.




MUCH MORE HERE: http://www.mass.gov/ago/public-safety/cyber-crime-and-internet-safety/cyber-crimes/cyber-stalking.html

Please read it all. We need to document everything. This is the law in Massachusetts. please check the laws in your State.

Stay safe everyone.

[BooScout]

1. K&R my friend!

[sheshe2]

3. Thanks Boo.

Sistas! We are Stronger Together.

PS, I love Maura Healey.

[Warpy]

2. Ugh, you're being targeted too?

The little shitbag really needs a new hobby. Making license plates in prison comes to mind.

In the meantime, here's "Oh Do Shut Up, Dear" in its entirety, describing what this moron is really all about. It will put the fight back into all of us.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jw3xe

[sheshe2]

6. Hmmm, yup.

Not to the extent that some were, yet they were stalking me and leaving me vile posts and images.

Thanks Warpy I will go read your link.

[Hekate]

4. KnR. Stronger Together.

[Coolest Ranger]

5. Its a shame this is not

Federal.

[sheshe2]

10. Exactly!

[Wounded Bear]

7. K & R ......for visibility..nt

[NastyRiffraff]

8. Thanks for this sheshe

We do indeed need to educate ourselves. I've just checked Maryland's laws.

[sheshe2]

9. This from our new AG. Love her.

I am so glad you are checking out your laws as well and what you can do about it, Riff.

[Spazito]

11. Great OP, very informative...

Thanks for posting this, it is very important info!

[sheshe2]

12. Yes, especially now, Spazito.

It is a crime and they will do their time.

[Spazito]

14. Yep, it's only a matter of time...

and the sooner the better!

[sheshe2]

15. Agreed.

[Gothmog]

13. K&R

[UtahLib]

16. K&R for important info.

[MineralMan]

17. Things are much easier if you can accurately identify the stalker.

Sadly, some have taken pains to conceal their identities and use offshore anonymous email accounts that are out of reach of US law enforcement.

Often, however, such stalkers are serial offenders and others may have succeeded in pinning down their identities. One way to proceed is to begin with a search on the exact email address used to harass you. That will sometimes turn up discussions of the person at that address by others who have been stalked.

Repeated language in harassing emails or other communications can also be searched, surrounded by quotes to narrow the search. Often, such stalkers say exactly the same things in more than one case, and you may find discussions about such repetitive quotes.

However, this kind of research often leads to dead ends, sadly. From time to time, you can discover who is stalking you, though, and if you maintain a good documentation of what you find, it can lead to law enforcement folks contacting such stalkers.

Good luck with all of this. I hope you succeed in stopping the harassment.

[ismnotwasm]

18. K&R