Cyberstalking occurs more often with females as the victim , although that is gradually changing more males are being cyber-stalked and harassed more frequently by women than ever. Like the case of Canadian Model Ana Petroli who was arrested for stalking and harassing photographer Albert Besso. Petroli faces a conviction up to one-year. The psychological profile of the delusional ones reveal a sophisticated computer literate, an emotionally disturbed person who seeks attention and challenges in cyberspace and becomes obsessed with someone met in a blog or an cyber community. The internet allows to hide the stalker real personality and altered his self-image. If rejected, may launch a campaign of cyberspace attacks.
Albert Besso met Ana Petroli in “MySpace” under the name of Ana Garcia, after two months of communicating through email, finally they met in person. During that time, Ana Petroli installed a software in Besso’s computer to record his keystrokes and get his passwords and accessed his phone records and e-mail accounts.
At the beginning Ana Petroli was overly nice but after she felt rejected, she launched a campaign of harassment by sending from Besso’s email accounts, nude photos of Besso’s girlfriend to co-workers, friends and family and by placing Besso’s information in gay chat-rooms, Besso would get random calls from strangers, that later would show up to his door step. They present similar characteristics which include the fact that the majority are likely to have prior drug abuse and psychiatric history. In 2006 Petroli was diagnosed with schizophrenia with history of mild cyberstalking, but she was never charged. Her family believe she had stopped taking her medication and lived in a world composed of part delusion and part reality which she was unable to differentiate. They exhibit a consistent pattern of behavior and choices, Petroli’s victims were international photographers in committed relationships. For Petroli if a man has already been chosen as a suitable partner, he has indicated that he is faithful and willing to have a long term relationship. For Petroli, these were very desirable qualities in a man.
Cyberstalking can have a devastating effect on victim’s lives. At the moment they are made to feel guilty and question themselves if it’s their fault, and in some other cases, victims fall into deep depression, and post traumatic stress disorder. Targets of the delusional stalker are likely to be sucked in to this world and start to have doubts about their own sanity, especially if the stalker is smart.
For more than 7 months Besso didn’t know the origin of the attacks. “I felt hopeless, it drove me crazy”, Besso said.
Albert Besso life’s was very affected by Petroli’s attacks, he ended his long term relationship with his girlfriend, he lost his job and dropped from school. A conviction is rare for harassment involving a woman with no previous criminal record. But the judge said “the cyberstalking in this case had very serious effects which were just as damaging as a physical assault”.
