‘Creepy’ digital stalking on the rise and taken just as seriously as physical stalking: Great Southern police

“Creepy and criminal behaviour — plain and simple.” That was how Great Southern police family violence co-ordinator Sgt Shannon McGeown described stalking someone with a mobile phone or over social media — an offence he said was on the rise in the region. “People need to understand that stalking can also be in the form of electronic communication via social media platforms and texting,” he said. “These acts of stalking are becoming more and more prevalent in the community and are taken just as serious by police as physical acts calculated to pursue a victim.” Sgt McGeown suggested those who carried out a digital form of stalking did not always appreciate the gravity of their crimes. Under WA law, offenders can be imprisoned for up to eight years if they are convicted of aggravated stalking. “Typically, offenders consider what they are doing as harmless and born out of curiosity,” Sgt McGeown said. “However, this explanation lacks insight into how their behaviour has impact on the victim.” Stalking was a crime that psychologically tortured victims and infringed on their right to feel safe in their home, in public and at work, Sgt McGeown said. Offenders sometimes used their victims’ passwords to access their online accounts, using that information to monitor what they were doing and track their movements. “Social media accounts with limited privacy settings also makes information available in real time, such as Facebook’s ‘check-in’ function,” he said. Sgt McGeown said anyone who was being targeted by digital stalking should contact local police. “The electronic medium provides digital footprints that can be traced back,” he said. “Ensure that posts are screen-shotted and saved. “There are a number of services that can be engaged to put a safety plan in place and address their wellbeing.”