Online stalking earns media attention, but how serious is the problem? This question is open to debate. A report prepared by the U.S. Department of Justice, and later reports that merely respond the same content, stated that the problem is pervasive and, using “back of the envelope,” calculations theorized that online stalking could be a crime with tens or hundreds of thousands of victims. The report, however, is sparse in actual support for these claims. In fact, it even cites a study conducted at the University of Cincinnati, of which the authors have stated does not measure the statistics that the Department of Justice cites the study to support. Essentially, there are no empirical scientific studies or data as to the scope of the problem. (more…)