Cyberstalking, Online Harassment, & Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

As digital technologies become more sophisticated, so does technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). This type of violence can take many forms, from defamation and impersonation, to online stalking and death threats.

What is Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)?

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV) is any act that is committed, assisted, aggravated or amplified by the use of information communication technologies or other digital tools.

TF-GBV occurs within a continuum of multiple interrelated types of violence against women and girls which are often connected to violence in the offline world. It encompasses many forms, including intimate image abuse, doxing (the sharing of personal or identifying details), trolling (posting messages, images or videos and the creation of hashtags for the purpose of provoking or inciting violence against women and girls) and sharing of deepfake images.

TF-GBV also includes misogynistic or gendered hate speech as well as efforts to silence and discredit women online, including threats of offline violence. Cyberstalking is a form of TFGBV.

What is cyberstalking?

Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, group, or organization. It may include false accusations, defamation, slander and libel. It may also include monitoring, identity theft, threats, vandalism, solicitation for sex, doxing, or blackmail. Cyberstalking is often accompanied by realtime or offline stalking.

A number of key factors have been identified in cyberstalking. A few tactics I’ve personally experienced from a cyber-stalker are:

• BlogoBullying: A cyberbully creates a social media page and then makes their target the central character and topic of defamatory posts.
• False accusations: Many cyberstalkers try to damage the reputation of their victim and turn other people against them. They post false information about them on websites. They may set up their own social media pages for this purpose.
• Impersonation: The cyberbully mimics their target and posts defamatory comments on social networking sites and in chat rooms.
• Cyber Drama: When a cyberbully posts melodramatic content to alarm or defame their target. This can include editing the victims photos and posting them online.
• Cyber Harassment: When a cyberbully repeatedly contacts and sends derogatory, inappropriate, or threatening messages to their target.
• Cyber Threats: When a cyberstalker sends rape or death threats, which causes the target distress.
• Denigration: When a cyberbully sends or publishes cruel rumors, gossip and false assertions about a target; trying to damage their reputation or friendships.
• Cyberbullying by Proxy: Using deception, encouragement or manipulation; a cyberbully persuades other online users to harass their target.
• Instant Messaging Attacks: Using an instant messaging account, the cyberbully bombards the target with harassing and threatening text messages.
• Micro-Visual Bullying: When a cyberbully creates and posts short videos to character assassinate their target.
• Non-Consensual Multimedia Bullying: The target does not know that defamatory content is being disseminated by the cyberbully using various media formats.
• Pseudonym Stealth: Cyberbullies secretly change their online usernames and begin to taunt, tease and humiliate their target while hiding their identity.
• Screen Name Mirroring: Similar to impersonation, the cyberbully uses screen names almost identical to the target and then posts provocative content.
• Twitter Pooping: The cyberbully repeatedly tweets harmful and provocative insults about the target using current “net lingo” terms. This includes posting defamatory or derogatory statements
• Voting & Polling Booth Bullying: The cyberbully creates web pages that allow others to vote for categories deemed highly embarrassing to their target.
• Taunting: Cyberstalkers typically use intimidation and persistent taunting that frightens their target.

I’ve had a cyberstalker that has been fixated on me since 2020. Based on the cyberstalkers threats of physical harm, sexual violence, and attacking my career, I thought it best to document his malevolent online activities.

This blog post serves a two-fold purpose. The primary reason is to protect my license to practice in case he or those connected to him report bogus ethical violations to my state licensing boards. The secondary purpose is to illustrate how predatory trolls exploit all aspects of their target’s life.

What is a Predatory Troll?

Predatory trolls can be ex-work associates, ex-partners and loved ones. They may also be unknown online users. Predatory trolls may target others alone, but increasingly work in groups (aka, Troll Triad). Like all trolls, predatory trolls are driven by needs for power, recognition, peer acceptance and control.

Predatory trolls seek to destroy their target’s reputation and the reputation of their family members, children, careers and loved ones. They always engage in defamation, slander, libel, disinformation campaigns and criminal defamation. All predatory trolls meet criteria for either iPredator or iPredator Bridge and are skilled in Cyberstealth. As the Information Age advances, predatory trolls will become increasingly problematic to all aspects of society.

“Many predatory trolls disguise their character assassination tactics and disinformation campaigns by claiming they are activists, whistleblowers and prosocial.” — Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D. (2016).

The iPredator that has targeted me uses several accounts and platforms with the primary purpose of engaging in TFGBV and spreading defamation. This iPredator also threatens me with physical harm as well which has caused concerns for my safety. Predatory trolls are an unfortunate part of modern day technology. Some predatory trolls suffer from a mental illness, some are internet addicted, some are online psychopaths, and some are just violent people.

Cyberbullying, online harassment and cyberstalking are all too common, but these terms fail to capture the spectrum of violent behaviors that occur in digital spaces and disproportionately affect women, girls, and minorities. It’s important that we educate ourselves and others on how to stay safe online and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Cyberstalking is a criminal offense under various state anti-stalking, slander and harassment laws. A conviction can result in a restraining order, probation, or criminal penalties against the assailant, including jail.

For more information:

• Learn more about cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and online harassment: https://ipredator.co
• Learn more about technology-facilitated gender-based violence: https://www.cigionline.org/publications/technology-facilitated-gender-based-violence-overview/
• Resource Center for Stalking Victims: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/
• Resource Center and Hotline for Stalking Victims: https://victimconnect.org/
• How to Recognize & Respond to Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV): https://www.seedkurdistan.org/how-to-recognize-respond-to-technology-facilitated-gender-based-violence-tfgbv/
• Reporting Internet Crimes: https://www.ic3.gov/