Cyber Stalking, Abusive Cyber sex and Online Grooming: A Program of Education for Teenagers
This paper aims to provide an introduction to a range of abusive behaviours that young people may encounter online, including cyber stalking, abusive cyber sex and online grooming. The principle author has spent over eight years researching various aspects of online activity, including both criminal behaviours.
A number of legal definitions of these particular deviant online behaviours have been developed, for example, UK’s Protection From Harassment Act 1997 and most recently within the UK, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. However, there is a shortage of programmes of education designed to address these online behaviours. The aim of this paper is to propose a blueprint for the development of Internet safety programmes designed to educate young people about the nature of abusive online activities. Currently, there is a clear need for information that summarises abusive online activities in a way that is accessible both to young people and also to those who are responsible for children’s well being, including parents, carers and teachers. It is also vitally important that those in a position to mediate these activities, for example chat room moderators and also policy makers interested in addressing abusive online behaviours, have a clear insight into not only the nature of abusive online activities, but crucially possible proactive and reactive strategies.
