While reading through the Metro today I came across this article: "Stalkers turn to e-mail,texts"
The article discusses a new federal survey that provides "the most comprehensive data ever on a crime (stalking) affecting an estimated 3.4 million Americans a year." Many victims of stalking have been pursued for over 5 years. The survey also revealed that e-mail and text-messages were some of the most common methods for stalkers to use. These electronic harassment's included "...unwanted phone calls(66 percent), unsolicited letters or e-mail (31 percent)...".
I think this is an incredibly important aspect of violence that has been brought to light. Sometimes I am amazed at how addicted my teens are to their Sidekicks, ipods and myspace and then I realize that they are no different than the majority of New Yorkers. It seems that nobody is capable of pulling themselves from their email or blackberries anymore. What happens when the technology that is so loved suddenly becomes an object of fear? Do people even consider that e-mails or texts can be harmful?
Frightening, isn't it? Our young people are easy targets for this kind of thing
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