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Volu me 105 Issue 59
Stalking Awareness Month brings social media to spotlight JANE CALLAHAN Associate News Editor
Several campus organizations came together this January, which is National Stalking Month, to say “Stop following me.” It’s the slogan for PAU Violence’s campaign, which aims to spread awareness of cyberstalking, cyberbullying and harassment. Leslie Cabingabang, the program coordinator for the PAU Violence Program, said that “with the increase in the use of technology to stalk, this event will educate our students about various issues related to stalking and social networking safety in general.” The event, which was sponsored by a grant from the National Department of Justice, saw the distribution of several hundred T-shirts to students, but in a way that required their active participation. “In order to get a T-shirt, students had to think of a quote related to safe dating or stalking awareness, write it on the white board and take a picture of themselves with it,” Cabingabang said. She added that the photos would be used in awareness campaigns held throughout the year. Cameron Miyamoto, who runs LGBT Student Services, was one of the volunteers at the table. “There’s stalking and harassment on this campus just like there is on any other college campus,” Miyamoto said. “This event is really getting the message out, and I’m glad that UH is at the forefront of these efforts.” Cabingabang defi ned stalking as “a course of conduct directed at a specifi c person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.” The most common scenario found in cyber harassment is between people who know each other; roughly three out of four stalking cases involve persons who have
REGINA ZABANAL / KA LEO O HAWAI‘I
Today’s technology and social media sites have rendered stalking easier to execute and, arguably, harder to prevent. It falls more and more upon the individual to protect himself or herself in an age where information is much more readily shared. had some form of personal relationship prior to the offense. In 30 percent of cases, victims are stalked by an ex-boyfriend or -girlfriend. Jodi Ito, the Information Security offi cer with Information Technology Services, said that she had seen stalking scenarios occur between student and faculty and employer and employees.
Ito said it is important to “understand the risks that accompany these technologies.” The 2007 case of Megan Meier, a teenage girl who committed suicide after she was harassed by a peer’s mother through MySpace, was one of several cases that led state and federal governments to act upon such tactics.
Kayla Dziwalski, a junior in social work, was a victim of cyber bullying. “I’ve been bullied through Facebook and MySpace.” Dziwulski detailed the escalation of events, which started with a classmate sending disturbing private messages through social media networks. The bullying progressed outside of the Internet, when Dziwulkski’s car
was keyed and a rock was thrown through her windshield. “I tried to get a restraining order but I couldn’t, because the judge said that the girl hadn’t threatened to kill me,” Dziwulksi said. This was before clearly outlined laws were passed in 2009 See Stalking, next page