Terrifying interactive map shows England and Wales' stalking hotspots - how common is it where you live?
A terrifying new map has revealed all of the UK's major hotspots for stalking - with one in seven people aged over 16 found to have been stalked at least once.
According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, an estimated one in five women and one in 11 men aged 16 and over have been stalked - and our interactive map shows how common the traumatising crime is in your area. Stalking is defined as two or more incidents causing distress, fear, or alarm to those on the recieving end. It may involve being sent an obscene or threatening message or phone call, having obscene or threatening information about you placed on the internet, being followed and watched, or someone loitering around your home or workplace.
Younger people, particularly younger women and girls, are more likely to fall victim to stalking in the UK.
Stalking is alarmingly common - and the numbers are rising. In the past year alone, one in ten girls and young women aged 16 to 19 were targeted, along with one in 15 young men. Yet the full scale of the crisis may be far worse than official data suggests. Police recorded over 600,000 stalking and harassment offences in the year to September 2024 - but many victims never come forward. And new figures reveal it's not happening evenly across the country.
Bradford tops the list, with police logging nearly 12,000 (11,998) offences last year - the equivalent of 22 for every 1,000 residents, the highest rate in England and Wales. Kingston-upon-Hull and North East Lincolnshire followed closely behind, with 21 per 1,000 people. Other hotspots include Blaenau Gwent in Wales, Blackpool, Calderdale, and Wakefield. With the exception of Blaenau Gwent, all of the ten worst-affected areas are in the north, exposing a stark north-south divide.
The findings come during National Stalking Awareness Week, which shines a spotlight on the long-term damage stalking inflicts. According to research from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, 95% of victims suffer psychological or mental health effects - and 78% report symptoms linked to PTSD. Despite this, just 24% were ever assessed for the condition. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was set up after the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in 1986, who is believed to have been murdered by a stalker.
The same research highlights a gaping hole in support. A series of FOI requests found that none of England's 41 responding NHS Integrated Care Boards offered services specifically for stalking victims or had trained staff to identify or support them. Only 7% of healthcare professionals said they felt confident spotting a stalking victim, and a staggering 85% had no idea where to refer them for help. Campaigners say urgent action is needed to close these gaps - and give victims the protection, recognition, and support they desperately need.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust - which delivers training in stalking awareness and support to a range of frontline professionals - has launched a campaign called 'Health Response: Spotting Stalking' to inform health professionals that specialist stalking services are available to help them identify and support stalking victims. The National Stalking Consortium, which includes the Trust, is also calling on the government to provide extra funding to provide more support for stalking victims and produce a coordinated 'whole health' response to stalking.
Suky Bhaker, CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said: 'Stalking has far-reaching effects on victims' health, but healthcare professionals lack the training and resources to identify it. We are calling on the government to provide the necessary resources to ensure that healthcare professionals can effectively support victims and work with specialist stalking services to better spot stalking amongst their patients and colleagues.'
Daniel W. Price-Jones, Lead Consultant Forensic Psychologist, Cheshire Constabulary's Harm Reduction Unit, said: 'The cumulative impact of stalking over time is both persistent and pervasive; it impacts on all areas of the victim's life. For many reasons, victims of stalking don't report to the police until many incidents have occurred - if they report at all. Healthcare professionals are often the first point of contact victims may have with services, which provides professionals with an early opportunity to intervene, help, guide, and support. It is vital that healthcare professionals are confident in identifying stalking and referring to specialist support.'
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