Stalking/Harassment – Online and Offline

Definitions of stalking vary, but it’s illegal in all 50 states. Generally, stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. It’s serious, often violent, and can escalate.

If you are being stalked, please be careful on social media. Immediately restrict your Facebook settings, require permission for anybody to post on your wall or tag you in a photo, and make your friends list private. Enable two-factor authentication on all accounts, devices, cloud storage systems, modems, create unique complex passphrases and answer security questions in unexpected ways (e.g., “Q: What’s your mother’s maiden name? A: The Dress is White and Gold”). Lock your doors. Stay alert. Stay safe.

We Address the Following:

Order of Protection

An order of protection restrains the behavior of somebody who harms or threatens to harm you. It may direct the offending person not to injure, threaten, or harass you or your children. It may direct the offending person to stay away from you and your children, move out of your home, handover firearms, refrain from all contact with you, etc.

Safety planning

Abusers control their victims. If a victim leaves, the abuser suddenly feels a loss of control and the reaction can be violent. It is essential that considerable planning accompany the decision to leave an abusive relationship and that special care be taken even after you leave. If you are planning on leaving your abuser, we can help you make a safety plan. You’ll want to think about the friends and family who can help, where you could go, how you could leave, getting together your personal belongings, changing your phone number, opening a bank account or credit card, ensuring your devices are not being tracked, changing your passwords and adjusting your privacy settings on social media to avoid being monitored, communicating with work, installing strong locks and security systems, changing your routine. We can help plan for your safety.

Defamation

Defamation is a blanket term for a statement that injures someone’s reputation. Written defamation is called “libel.” Spoken defamation is called “slander.” In almost all states, defamation is not a crime. However, a defamed person can sue the defamer. The public perception of what constitutes “defamation” is quite different from the legal definition. This causes disappointment for many would-be litigants. In a defamation lawsuit, the defamed person must prove that there’s been a statement that is all of the following: 1) published, 2) false, 3) injurious, and 4) unprivileged.

Importantly, the statement must be false. Even if the statement is incredibly mean or nasty, if it looks like an opinion, it is not defamation. The plaintiff must prove that it is objectively false. Truth is always a defense in a defamation lawsuit.

A great deal of defamation happens online, especially with anonymous lies about a person’s sexual health, infidelity, criminal record. Online service providers generally can’t be held liable for content that user’s post. They can, however, be asked to remove defamatory content and can be subpoenaed to provide user information (e.g. IP address, etc) about the person who posted the information.

Remember: if it’s true, it’s not defamation, though it may trigger different invasion of privacy claims, depending on the state where the case will be brought. An attorney can figure out the best way of addressing your situation to get you the best possible outcome.

“The best part about working with C.A. Goldberg was the rapid response time. I had resolution within a couple of days from my initial call to you.

My advice to anyone thinking about hiring C.A. Goldberg would be to cast aside any doubt, prioritize safety and peace of mind, and take control of your situation.”

-Stalking victim

Additional Resources

5 steps to take now if you’re being stalked

Create your own Incident Tracking Chart here

Criminal Stalking Laws by State

Civil Stalking Laws by State

Stalking Resource Center

what our clients say:

Stalking and harassment victim

When I first spoke to Adam, I was frightened and bewildered by the vicious attacks on my reputation that were online for everyone to see. I was in the middle of an academic job search, and I feared that potential employers would google my name and find all of these crazy rants against me, my family and my work. The first attorney I spoke with didn’t have a clue how to deal with online abuse, and it dawned on me that I really needed someone who understood how the internet works in order to help me. Working with C.A. Goldberg gave me back a sense of control over my professional reputation and provided me with the much-needed confidence to address the harassment publicly.

Online harassment victim

I was harassed and stalked for six months by seemingly anonymous text messages. I felt alone and helpless. Once I worked with Lindsey I learned that these situations are all-too common, she that misconduct like this is illegal and she could take steps to stop it — which she did. I am deeply grateful for all she did for me and for putting me at ease through the process.

Woman, RESTAURANT WORKER, 20s, STALKING VICTIM

C.A. Goldberg brought my harasser to the attention of the FBI within several weeks while the police had been at a standstill for months. They really do work f*cking fast and they care so much about their clients’ well-being.

Stalking/Harassment – Online and Offline

Stalking/Harassment – Online and Offline

We Address the Following:

Order of Protection

Safety planning

Defamation

Recent Posts

Additional Resources

what our clients say: