# WHY?

## Why are people chosen to be targeted?

## February 14, 2005

There is quite a variety of reasons why people become targeted with organized stalking and electronic harassment. Indications are that one person in a thousand could be targeted at any time.

Here are some reasons I've heard about informally:

- Many targets simply don't know why

- Organized stalking groups who tell their members LIES about their designated targets, often with the purpose of "running the target out of town"

- Retired police officers who harass deadbeat dads (alimony cases) and pedophiles, admitted anonymously on a Toronto radio talk show

- Police and other public safety officials who have developed methods of "settling scores" with people they can't "get justice" for in court. This includes battered spouses who make complaints about abusive officers, where other officers believe they are justified in defending against an "attack" (complaint against) "the police family" by attacking the complainant.

- Aggravated school or workplace bullying

- Hostile spouse or ex-spouse hires group to harass the other

- Jilted lover hires group to harass the other

- Victim reported crime where criminal is member of organized crime, for example, a husband who is a member of a ring of pedophiles with connections in high places

- Anti-corporate or government whistleblower activity

- Anti-corporate or government activism

- Overzealous church groups harass "sinners" to "straighten them out"

- Overzealous neighbourhood watch-like groups harass people they believe have criminal records (but don't!)

- Harassment of "mentally ill" neighbours - totally against the law, and usually not even true. Sometimes to force the target to appear mentally ill to justify the harassment.

- Harassment of racial minorities

- Harassment of lesbians and gays

- Family feuds over inheritance

- Government attempts to unfairly seize land from owners