Police Officers Responses to Young Peoples Experiences of Cyberstalking

Young people in particular utilise digital spaces to create new connections and even initiate, sustain, and carry out part of their intimate relationships online (Lykens et al., 2019; Van Ouytsel et al., 2018). However, in our digitally interconnected world, cyberstalking has emerged as a significant concern which impacts approximately 20 to 40 percent of online users worldwide (Reyns et al., 2012; Spitzberg & Hoobler, 2002; Tokunaga & Aune, 2017).

Prior research highlights technology has also provided opportunities to facilitate online monitoring of others (Verduyn et al., 2017) due to the proficiency and ease at which information can be obtained (Sheridan & Grant, 2007). Consequently, the rise of digital technologies has given perpetrators new avenues and opportunities to target victims (Brady et al., 2023; Van Ouytsel et al., 2018) resulting in a rise of cyberstalking (Fansher & Randa, 2019). However, little work to date has explored young people’s perceptions and experiences of cyberstalking. With research consistently revealing very few cyberstalking victims choose to report their experiences to the police (Brady et al., 2023; Fissel 2021; Reyn and Englebrecht 2010), there is a notable research gap regarding young people’s reasons not to report cyberstalking incidents.

This study provides critical insights into how young women experience both stalking and cyberstalking, their experiences and barriers to reporting cyberstalking to the police and other agencies. Preliminary findings reveal despite the severe impact, many young women often encounter dismissive attitudes or lack of understanding from police, contributing to underreporting to the police. Additionally, the paper will also explore how police officers perceive and respond to cyberstalking cases. The research aims to contribute to the improvement of victim’s support, inform police forces and refine practice within the cyberstalking sector.