S Talking & Law

Some may say that if a person follows the other person wherever the person goes it can be termed as Stalking. Some might hold the view that a person trying to harass the other person by using electronic means like hacking emails, Facebook accounts, Whatsapp massages, phone calls or keeping an eye through any other means or by kind of an act wherein a person would create a sense of obsession with the victim will be termed as a “Stalker”. All these statements are true but stalking involves much more to it.

- Kanishk Agarwal

Stalking is the wilful, malicious and repeated unwanted harassment of another person. Stalking also involves mental harassment to the victim causing worst impact on the phycology. Victims might have to face harassment, fear, intimidation, and severe depression, panic attacks etc, as no person can be comfortable knowing the fact that someone is keeping an eye on their personal life. More often than not, a stalker is very much aware of the fact that another person is getting annoyed by his acts but still they continue doing it because they built certain psyche wherein they are unable to decide of what they are doing is incorrect and even after several rejections from the victim, they don’t stop. A Stalker canget so obsessed with the victim that he/she can go up to any extend to gain attention, the main purpose is to meet or to talk to the victim and have a control over them or it can be for taking a revenge from victim because of continuous rejections or humiliation stalker has faced because of the victim. The victims of cyber stalking can suffer emotional, social or/and professional turmoil and disturbances. The helplessness, humiliation and constant harassment can bring changes to a victim’s life. Cyber stalking becomes more aggravated when it is accompanied by threats and blackmailing. Most women avoid bringing the victimization to the fore under a fear of jeopardizing their life. This stigma attached to an offence sexual in nature makes the offence sadly go unreported. A victim of cyber stalking should not suffer in silence but instead immediately inform the police to the nearest police station by making a complaint attached with all the evidence available that is emails/messages/posts etc. sent by the offender. If the police fail to take any action, the victim can approach the DCP and/or Judicial Magistrates.