The Dangers Of Stalking Online And Offline

 The Dangers Of Stalking Online And Offline

In a world where technology is constantly advancing, particularly with social media apps, online safety is becoming more crucial. One popular social media app, Instagram, has taken safety precautions for teenagers between the ages of 13-17 such as ensuring minors under the age of 16 have private accounts along with having restrictions enforced towards who can message them, tag them or mention them in posts. Additionally, parents of those teens can supervise their son or daughter’s Instagram accounts, see insights about how their child uses Instagram and can also approve or deny changes regarding safety settings for their child’s Instagram account. While these safety precautions will help protect teenagers from the dangers of online harassment and stalking on Instagram, it unfortunately may not mean they will have that same protection on other social media apps they use. It also will not protect adults from being victims of online stalking or harassment either.

According to a 2024 statistical report from SafeHome.org, as many as 7.5 million people experience cyberstalking each year. The report further adds that 67 percent of stalking victims are stalked in person while 80 percent of stalking victims are tracked via technology with some victims experiencing both types of stalking. Stalking victims are often targeted by stalkers that have created some sort of parasocial relationship with them. Even celebrities can be victims of stalking including Ashley Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Sadie Robertson, Tyra Banks, Keira Knightley, Josh Groban, Jon Moxley, Shirley Ballas, Ellie Dadd, Eva LaRue, Millie Bobby Brown, Brad Pitt, Kenny Chesney, Salma Hayek, Sofia Vergara, Jordin Sparks, Leona Lewis, Monica Seles, Claire Foy, Kevin Spacey, Emma Raducanu, Gwyneth Paltrow, Adam Driver, Ashley Tisdale, Ryan Gosling, Claudia Schiffer, Nicole Kidman, Rose McGowan, Daisy Ridley, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne, Mandy Moore, Emma Roberts, Gwen Stefani, Eve Torres Gracie, Kristen Stewart, Mike Shinoda, Maryse Mizanin, Emilia Clarke, Avril Lavigne, Angelina Love, Harry Styles, Lily Allen, Daniel Radcliffe, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannson, Emma Watson, Drew Barrymore, Ryan Seacrest, Tyler Perry, Hilary Duff, Halle Berry, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Garner, Kate Beckinsale, Kurt Angle, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Vanessa Hudgens, Miranda Cosgrove, Holly Willoughby, Justin Bieber, Lindsey Stirling, Jennifer Lopez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, Eva Mendes, Melissa Joan Hart, Sandra Bullock, Miley Cyrus, Tom Hardy, Alyssa Milano, Winona Ryder, Rachel Bilson, Jaime King, Channing Tatum, Jessica Jung, Jennifer Aniston, Maren Morris, Kirsten Dunst, Meg Ryan, Mila Kunis, Erin Andrews, Keanu Reeves, Michelle Branch, Christina Perri, Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain, Christina Applegate, Jamie Dornan, Pamela Anderson, Alyson Hannigan and Ric Flair.

Further examples of celebrities becoming stalking victims include Former WWE Superstar, Sonya Deville. On Sunday, August 16, 2020, a man from South Carolina named Phillip A. Thomas was arrested and charged with attempted armed kidnapping, aggravated stalking, armed burglary of a dwelling and misdemeanor criminal mischief when he broke into Sonya Deville’s home in Florida. In 2023, Phillip A. Thomas was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his crimes. During the investigation of his crimes, it was revealed that Phillip A. Thomas had obsessively been stalking Sonya Deville on social media for several years despite never meeting or speaking to her personally. It was also reported that Phillip A. Thomas had spent eight months planning to kidnap Sonya Deville before he traveled to her home in his attempt to abduct her and upon his arrest was found with a knife, duct tape and zip ties.

Another example of a celebrity who has been a victim of stalking is WWE Superstar, Alexa Bliss. The harassment she has received from stalkers has been so extreme that they have sent threats to her husband, Ryan Cabrera and have even claimed that they are the true father of Alexa and Ryan’s daughter. One stalker named William Flickinger even claimed to be married to Alexa Bliss and went so far as to post a phony marriage certificate.

In February of 2025, WWE Superstar, Rhea Ripley revealed that a girl showed up to her home on Valentine’s Day and stood outside the front door for fifteen minutes. This prompted Rhea Ripley to post on social media later that month a request for fans to not send or personally deliver fan mail to her house. It has been publicly made aware that fan mail for any WWE Superstar should be sent to either WWE Headquarters or the WWE Performance Center.

In a podcast interview in June of 2023, Former WWE Superstar, Joy Giovanni revealed she has dealt with online stalkers which has prompted her to be more protective of her privacy. She recalled one incident where she had received threats from a stalker who claimed they were going to come find her. Upon further investigation, Joy Giovanni learned that this stalker had just been released from a lockdown facility and had been targeting another victim. Joy Giovanni also discussed being startled by a fan in a hotel parking lot at night that approached her abruptly while she was getting her luggage out of her vehicle.

In 2024, Ariana Grande’s stalker, Aharon Zebulun Israel Brown was sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison, along with receiving a 10-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting or being within 150 yards of Ariana Grande. Aharon Zebulun Israel Brown broke into Ariana Grande’s Hollywood home 92 times in 2021 and made threats towards Ariana Grande’s security personnel. Aharon Zebulun Israel Brown also broke into Ariana Grande’s Montecito home in June 2022. Investigators discovered Aharon Zebulun Israel Brown had over 2,000 photos of Ariana Grande and had sent Instagram messages threating to harm the musician and actress.

In 2020, Katy Perry successfully obtained a restraining order against William Edwad Terry after he trespassed on her Beverly Hills property. William Edward Terry had made threats towards Katy Perry’s family. William Edward Terry also sent Katy Perry several messages via social media which involved very explicit comments regarding the musician.

In February 2014, a stalker named Gary Gin showed up at Summer Glau’s home and burned incense around it as he demanded money for a script. A few weeks later, Summer Glau received a suspicious package with the contents appearing to be an explosive device. Summer Glau also received a 4-page letter from Gary Gin where he claimed to be unsuccessful in trying to communicate with her telepathically and desired to chat in person with the actress. Summer Glau was granted a restraining order against Gary Gin.

In 2006, Colin Farrell took out a restraining order on a woman named Dessarae Bradford who had interrupted a taping of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno that the actor was making a guest appearance on. During the taping, Dessarae Bradford erratically tried to garner Colin Farrell’s attention in an attempt to speak with him. Dessarae Bradford later attempted to sue Colin Farrell for $5,000, claiming harassment, but was unsuccessful after she failed a lie detector test.

In 2023, Matthew McConaughey was granted a restraining order that will remain active until October 19, 2028 against a woman who claimed to be his common law wife and had been stalking him since April of 2022. Matthew McConaughey’s stalker also claimed to be his social media strategist and co-author of one of his books. The stalker also had continuously sent disturbing letters, emails and threats to him and even showed up to a book signing at a Barnes And Noble in Los Angeles to confront the actor before being escorted away by law enforcement.

In 2011, Selena Gomez dealt with a stalker from Illinois named Thomas Brodnicki who persistently threatened and pursued the musician and actress. Thomas Brodnicki was ordered by a judge to stay 100 yards away from Selena Gomez. In 2014, Selena Gomez dealt with another stalker named Che Cruz when he attempted to break into the guest house of the actress’s California residence repeatedly. Che Cruz was ordered to stay 200 yards away from Selena Gomez for a decade and was also required to undergo psychological treatment.

Taylor Swift has also dealt with several stalkers throughout her career and the stalking cases have become so severe that the musician has had to take extra security precautions at her concerts which include the use of facial recognition software to specifically distinguish stalkers she has had to deal with. In March of 2014, Taylor Swift successfully obtained a restraining order against Timothy Sweet who had been claiming to be her husband on social media. Timothy Sweet also was calling Taylor Swift several times and sending her letters threatening anyone who got in the way of the marriage he claimed they had. Timothy Sweet was ordered by a judge to stay 100 yards away from Taylor Swift for 3 years.

In 2015, Taylor Swift dealt with another stalker named Frank Edward Hoover who had been sending threats to Taylor Swift and her family. Eventually, Frank Edward Hoover was arrested and sentenced to a decade of probation, beginning in 2018. In 2018, another stalker from Texas, Eric Swarbrick, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after sending several threats to Taylor Swift and Big Machine Records. One letter had even made threats to assault her. In 2019, a man named Roger Alvarado was arrested for breaking into Taylor Swift’s apartment in New York, after making repeated attempts to trespass at her home.

In 2019, another stalker from Iowa named David Page Liddle was arrested near Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home. When confronted, David Page Liddle had claimed to be an old friend of Taylor Swift’s and desired music advice from her. Upon his arrest, David Page Liddle was discovered with a crowbar, an aluminum baseball bat, several pairs of rubber gloves, a flashlight, a screwdriver and more than 30 lock picks. In June of 2023, Mitchell Taebell of Indiana was arrested on charges of harassment, invasion of privacy, stalking and intimidation after multiple attempts were made to contact Taylor Swift at her concerts, at her Tennessee home and through social media. Mitchell Taebell had made claims to be Taylor Swift’s soulmate and had sent threats to her father and her Eras Tour Dancers.

In 2024, a man from Brooklyn named Joshua Christian was arrested for stalking Taylor Swift at her homes in both New York and Tennessee. In 2024, another alleged stalker was arrested outside of Taylor Swift’s apartment in New York after he repeatedly attempted to break in. A few witnesses had reported they had seen the man lurking around the area for a month and had been making the neighbors feel uneasy.

Stalking does not just happen to notable figures like beauty pageant titleholders, authors, journalists, actors, athletes, fashion designers, supermodels, royals or musicians. It can happen to anyone. Even teachers, chefs, college students, baristas, stay at home parents, literary agents, marine biologists, veterinarians, dentists, lawyers, firefighters, florists, administrative assistants, customer service representatives, morticians, tax accountants, insurance agents, travel agents, massage therapists, paralegals, zookeepers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, court reporters, dermatologists, orthodontists, bartenders, flight attendants, wedding planners, librarians, nurses, construction workers, janitors, pilots, electricians, plumbers, daycare workers, real estate agents, physicists, astronauts, meteorologists, lifeguards, architects, social workers, welders, archaeologists, farmers, graphic designers, interior designers, pharmacists, carpenters, plastic surgeons, hairstylists etc. are at risk of dealing with a stalker.

Stalking is a pattern of behavior that makes a person feel frightened, harassed, worried, unsafe and nervous. Stalking behaviors can include sending inappropriate photos without the consent of the receiver, sending disturbing letters, making threats, making lewd comments, following someone around or spying, sending unwanted items, sending messages or emails excessively, calling the victim excessively, planting a tracking device in the victim’s vehicle, photographing or recording the victim without their awareness or consent, obtaining private information about the victim, asking for or demanding explicit photos, exhibiting controlling and obsessive behavior towards the victim, blackmail, bullying, spreading slander or libel about the victim, damaging the victim’s personal property and posting deepfake images or videos of the victim and asking vulgar questions. According to Justice.gov, 46 percent of stalking victims felt fear of not knowing what would happen next.

If you are being stalked and fear you may be in danger, there are a few things you can do to help better protect yourself. One option is to block the stalker from being able to contact you. If you know the stalker’s phone number, block it so they are unable to call or text you.

If the stalker is harassing you via email, block their email from contacting you. If the stalker is harassing you on a social media app like Instagram, Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), block them on whatever social media apps you use so they are unable to contact you via their social media accounts. Additionally, you can also report their accounts on social media for harassment.

Taking a self-defense course may also help you feel safer. Kickboxing, Taekwondo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons are a great way of learning some self-defense techniques to protect you if you feel unsafe somewhere. If there are no places near you where you can take a self-defense course, you can purchase self-defense DVDs at gracielifestyle.com that can help teach you techniques that are useful in protecting yourself if you feel you are in danger.  

Letting someone that you trust know about the situation you are experiencing with the stalker can also be helpful, especially if the person you are confiding in is your emergency contact. Making someone you trust aware of the situation is also helpful if you choose to take legal action against the person stalking you as they may possibly be able to be brought in as a key witness. If you decide to take legal action against the stalker, make sure to keep as much documentation as possible of incidents involving when and where the stalker tried contacting or communicating with you including emails, call logs, text messages, voicemail messages, messages or comments posted by the stalker that were directed towards you on social media, letters or other mail sent to you by the stalker, photos or videos of any personal property that was vandalized by the stalker, copies of any protection orders you are granted, copies of any court documents involving your case against a stalker etc. The more detailed evidence you have, the more helpful it will be for law enforcement and prosecutors regarding your case against a stalker.