A new research report from the University of Bedfordshire highlights the major role played by ICT in incidents of stalking. According to the report, Crown Prosecution Service figures show that in 2010, 33% of stalking incidents were by e-mail, 32% by text message and 8.4% were through social networking sites i.e. the majority of incidents involved cyberstalking. The research shows that the majority of stalking that originated online began in chat forums, social networking sites or in response to blogging. However, most stalking began offline with the stalker being someone the victim had met in real life. The victims also reported that more support from law enforcement agencies and the ICT service provider was needed. This further emphasises the continued need (as recognised by the inspection agencies) for e-safety policies and procedures to be in place in colleges to provide support for younger learners using technology.
For further information, please view the full report, Cyberstalking in the United Kingdom.
JISC Legal has resources on e-Safety including a checklist, top ten tips, and a model policy template.
Want to keep up-to-date with all our news stories? Subscribe to the JISC Legal newsletter for our monthly round-up of news, events, publications and training.