Man jailed for two years for stalking victim he met online
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Callum Henderson, of no fixed address, admitted to sending a video entitled “watch me die” to a woman he had been on a couple of dates with.
The term stalking is used with some differing definitions in psychiatry and psychology , as well as in some legal jurisdictions as a term for a criminal offense. According to a report by the U. National Center for Victims of Crime , “virtually any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear can be considered stalking”, although in practice the legal standard is usually somewhat stricter.
The difficulties associated with defining this term exactly or defining it at all are well documented. Having been used since at least the 16th century to refer to a prowler or a poacher Oxford English Dictionary , the term stalker was initially used by media in the 20th century to describe people who pester and harass others, initially with specific reference to the harassment of celebrities by strangers who were described as being “obsessed”.
Unlike other crimes, which usually involve one act, stalking is a series of actions that occur over a period of time. Although stalking is illegal in most areas of the world, some of the actions that contribute to stalking may be legal, such as gathering information, calling someone on the phone, texting, sending gifts, emailing, or instant messaging. They become illegal when they breach the legal definition of harassment e.
In fact, United Kingdom law states the incident only has to happen twice when the harasser should be aware their behavior is unacceptable e. Cultural norms and meaning affect the way stalking is defined. Scholars note that the majority of men and women admit engaging in various stalking-like behaviors following a breakup, but stop such behaviors over time, suggesting that “engagement in low levels of unwanted pursuit behaviors for a relatively short amount of time, particularly in the context of a relationship break-up, may be normative for heterosexual dating relationships occurring within U.
People characterized as stalkers may be accused of having a mistaken belief that another person loves them erotomania , or that they need rescuing. Stalkers may use overt and covert intimidation, threats and violence to frighten their victims. They may engage in vandalism and property damage or make physical attacks that are meant to frighten.