Cyberstalking

What is cyberstalking?

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust defines stalking as:

‘A pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated, persistent, intrusive and causes fear of violence or engenders alarm and distress in the victim.’ 

Cyberstalking is the same as traditional stalking, but the harassment is conducted via the use of the internet or other digital technologies.

As such, UK law categorises cyberstalking under broader stalking and harassment laws, primarily governed by the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and its subsequent amendments. These laws provide a robust framework for prosecuting individuals who engage in stalking behaviours, including those conducted online.

The UK Police define the four warning signs of stalking as:

  • Fixated
  • Obsessive
  • Unwanted
  • Repeated

Why is this relevant?

Several of the Greens in Exile featured on this site believe themselves to have been the victims of coordinated cyberstalking by certain factions of GPEW membership. This has occurred not only on social media sites, but also on the party’s internal discussion board – Green Spaces, where certain individuals have followed other members around the spaces they engage with, in order to intimidate and harass.

Some of the same individuals have also been found to be clandestinely stalking members on the social media site X (formerly Twitter). Members of GPRC and DC have also been observed to engage in this type of behaviour.

Nearly all of the victims of this cyberstalking are women, current and former members of Green Party Women (GPW) and in some cases GPW committee members. All believe that sex is immutable.

The members who cyberstalk and harass other members are not only breaching GPEW’s Members Code of Conduct, but are also committing a criminal act.

Any complaints made to the party about the behaviour of the cyberstalkers have been dismissed. Many victims have not submitted complaints because they know they will be dismissed. There are also concerns that making a complaint can potentially increase the risk of further harassment.

GPEW safeguarding failure

The Green Party, like any other organisation has a duty of care to safeguard its members. It is not exempt from this, the same as it is not exempt from the Equality Act 2010

In its own Safe Guarding Policy, GPEW recognises that psychological abuse, discriminatory abuse, and organisational or institutional abuse are safe guarding issues. GPEW also has a policy on bullying and harassment that constitutes a breach of this Code for disciplinary purposes.

Research into the effect of cyberstalking identifies the widespread psychological damage sustained by victims. Cyberstalking is a form of psychological abuse.

Sex and the belief in the immutability of sex are both protected under the Equality Act 2010. Cyberstalking women who believe in the immutability of sex is discriminatory abuse.

Organisational abuse occurs as a result of poor structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation. It could be argued that The Green Party with its governance failure in regard to its disciplinary system, and its failure to safeguard women in the party is committing organisational abuse.