Stalking has been classified as a serious offence by the Dutch Criminal Code (Art. 285b) and is described in the following way:

'Unlawfully, systematically and intentionally infringing other people's privacy with the aim of forcing the other person to do something, leave it, to designate something or fear'.

The law carries out hefty maximum penalties for the crime of stalking: a prison sentence not exceeding three years or a fine of the fourth category.

Cyberstalking is the digital form of stalking: repeated harassment and/or threatening a person, that takes place on the Internet or through other electronic means of communication like a mobile phone. A distinction is made between cyberstalking and physical stalking (offline stalking) but often these forms occur simultaneously. They can both have the same impact on the victim who is nowhere safe for his or her feeling. Online stalking is more accessible than offline stalking, the stalker can perform the stalking acts without having to be in the physical vicinity of the victim.

Examples of cyberstalking include hacking pc, phone, and/or social media accounts of the victim, continuously sending (threatening) emails (email bombing), social media messages, text messages and/or app messages to the victim, posting fake ads and creating social media accounts in the victim's name.

Contact us as soon as possible when you or one of your loved ones is a victim of cyberstalking. We will do our utmost best to stop it.