silentscope
Junior Member
(Washington State)
I am a victim of cyberstalking and cybersquatting by an ex. After I terminated our very short 3 month relationship, this person contacted my significant other, my separated spouse (unwanted, and they both blocked them), then after receiving no success there, cybersquatted on my first and last name (firstlast.com) with a bunch of defamatory content and a one-sided story about our relationship. This person registered the website anonymously. They hyperlinked every social media profile I have to the site and freely admit to contacting the people in my life - all actions definition of cyberstalking as the statute is written. I have blocked this person from all social media so they would have had to Google my information under a different or anonymized identity. During our relationship, this person stated they would kill me if I ever left them or broke up with them.
I contacted a lawyer who sent them a cease/desist but it was ignored. A couple of months later, as I actually found my behavior changing to one of constant fear of what might happen next, I contacted the police and filed a report for cyberstalking (it is illegal in the state of Washington). Link to the statute is below:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.61.260
I got a call from the prosecutor's office Domestic Violence support center who said they would recommend the case to a prosecutor and recommend they prosecutor press charges. This was a week ago and I haven't heard anything back.
Here are my questions:
1) How do I get the site taken offline? (court order, ICANN, etc.)
2) I would really like to know more about how to dispute the site through ICANN and other internet governing bodies
3) How do I sue the person for defamation per se, libel, slander, and whatever else is possible
4) Is there anything I can do in addition to filing the police report to compel the prosecutor to prosecute the case
I just want to actually feel safe again.
My attorney wants to wait to file a civil restraining order because he wants to see what the prosecutor will do. The website is an embarrassment and people ask about it, I have to explain it constantly. I don't know what additional measures I can take - cybersquatting law is incredibly murky when it comes to personal names vs. commercial trademark infringement. I am really doing my best to be patient but I want to know if there are things I can do that I simply do not know about.
Any and all help would be immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance for your knowledge sharing and responses.
I am a victim of cyberstalking and cybersquatting by an ex. After I terminated our very short 3 month relationship, this person contacted my significant other, my separated spouse (unwanted, and they both blocked them), then after receiving no success there, cybersquatted on my first and last name (firstlast.com) with a bunch of defamatory content and a one-sided story about our relationship. This person registered the website anonymously. They hyperlinked every social media profile I have to the site and freely admit to contacting the people in my life - all actions definition of cyberstalking as the statute is written. I have blocked this person from all social media so they would have had to Google my information under a different or anonymized identity. During our relationship, this person stated they would kill me if I ever left them or broke up with them.
I contacted a lawyer who sent them a cease/desist but it was ignored. A couple of months later, as I actually found my behavior changing to one of constant fear of what might happen next, I contacted the police and filed a report for cyberstalking (it is illegal in the state of Washington). Link to the statute is below:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.61.260
I got a call from the prosecutor's office Domestic Violence support center who said they would recommend the case to a prosecutor and recommend they prosecutor press charges. This was a week ago and I haven't heard anything back.
Here are my questions:
1) How do I get the site taken offline? (court order, ICANN, etc.)
2) I would really like to know more about how to dispute the site through ICANN and other internet governing bodies
3) How do I sue the person for defamation per se, libel, slander, and whatever else is possible
4) Is there anything I can do in addition to filing the police report to compel the prosecutor to prosecute the case
I just want to actually feel safe again.
My attorney wants to wait to file a civil restraining order because he wants to see what the prosecutor will do. The website is an embarrassment and people ask about it, I have to explain it constantly. I don't know what additional measures I can take - cybersquatting law is incredibly murky when it comes to personal names vs. commercial trademark infringement. I am really doing my best to be patient but I want to know if there are things I can do that I simply do not know about.
Any and all help would be immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance for your knowledge sharing and responses.