Latest news with #NationalStalkingAwarenessWeek
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Daily Record
POLICE COLUMN: Detective Chief Inspector Laura White
DCI White speaks out on early intervention to protect vulnerable people from harm which is part of the force's Violence Against Women and Girls strategy As the Detective Chief Inspector for Lothian and Scottish Borders Division, I want to use this week's column to discuss some of the current workstreams we are involved in to safeguard communities against various types of public protection-related offences. Prevention and early intervention to protect vulnerable people from harm is at the root of what we aim to achieve and as part of our Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, we are working alongside colleagues within Education to provide information on a range of issues to pupils at schools throughout the Division. We recognise the importance of educating children and young people on healthy relationships, consent, and online safety to prevent the development of harmful attitudes and behaviours. In the coming weeks, we will be looking to develop our work with P7 leavers and our young people starting high school to support the inputs they receive in class time in terms of relationships, sexual health, and parenthood. To support these messages, School Link Officers will look to deliver additional inputs either in school setting or as part of the Risk Factory Centre trips, to reinforce healthy relationships and boundaries, understanding of consent, the various guises of domestic abuse and where our young people can go in terms of sign posting if they require help and support. Last month, some of our Detectives and Response officers attended a continuous development training event during National Stalking Awareness Week. This was designed to strengthen officer confidence and capability in identifying, investigating, and responding to stalking reports. Stalking can have serious and lasting effects on victims. It affects a person's quality of life, ability to live freely and in some cases can lead to significant harm or even death. Stalking behaviours can be subtle, manipulative, and disguised by perpetrators as legitimate or incidental actions on their part. Our officers heard case studies exploring patterns, behaviours, observing the real-life toll on victims from perpetrators as well as hearing from real life Police investigations which allowed us to share good practice and learning opportunities. It is essential that our officers are equipped to understand their responsibilities in respect of stalking, how to recognise the signs and maximise investigative opportunities in order to provide the best service we can to those impacted. If you are worried that you are a victim of stalking or concerned about someone you know who is experiencing this. I would encourage you to call Police or contact National Stalking Helpline on 0808 8020 300 to seek advice and support. Within Lothians and Scottish Borders Division, we benefit from positive working relationships with our partners across Health and support services and regularly receive third party reporting from survivors of sexual abuse who, for valid reasons, were not ready, or did not wish to contact Police at the time of an offence. If you have been the victim of a sexual offence, it's understandable that you may not know what to do or where to turn. NHS Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) is a dedicated NHS service which can offer healthcare and support in the days after an assault, if you are not ready to tell the Police or are unsure. If you have been the victim of a sexual assault within the last seven days and do not want to tell the Police or are unsure about telling them now - you can self-refer to a SARCS. This means you don't need a GP or other healthcare professional to refer you to a SARCS - you can do this yourself.
ITV News
25-04-2025
- ITV News
Claire Chick's murder triggers 'urgent police review' into stalking
The murder of a woman in Plymouth has triggered police to review their treatment of stalking. Claire Chick was murdered by her estranged husband, despite contacting police six times in the months before her death, an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation found. She had told police that "obsessive stalking" by Paul Butler was making her life a "living hell" and that she believed he would kill her. On Friday 25 April, Butler was jailed for 26 years and nine months at Plymouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his former wife, Claire Chick. Court hears of months of missed opportunities In the months leading up to her death Claire had told police that Butler was leaving threatening voice notes, phone calls, e-mails and hanging around outside her house. The court also heard that Butler placed a tracking device on Claire's car and told her he knew her exact movements which left her "frightened". He was arrested several times by police and released on bail. Her final statement, which she signed the day before her death, said: "I honestly feel like Butler will kill me if further action is not taken. I am constantly afraid of leaving my house. I am very fearful of what he has done to me and what he will do." Butler's sentencing coincides with National Stalking Awareness Week, running from 22-25 April. Recent data from Devon and Cornwall Police reveals a concerning 14.4% increase in stalking and harassment offences, with 14,457 incidents recorded between February 2024-February 2025. ' We need the behaviour of a lot of men to change' Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "When you consider the murder of Claire Chick, another woman killed at the hands of a man, it represents a deeply-troubling pattern emerging in this region. "It's particularly distressing because any of us could find ourselves in such a devastating situation."Hernandez highlighted the persistent nature of stalking behaviours: "The reality is perpetrators of stalking rarely desist, and we know that 98% of women's murders involve a stalking element. "These individuals represent our most dangerous offenders, and we simply must do more to address this. We need the behaviour of a lot of men to change." She also acknowledged institutional responsibilities: "Many victims hesitate to come forward due to fear, and often remain with abusive partners because separation frequently triggers escalated violence. "We must recognise the extraordinarily challenging circumstances many victims face, and particularly, we need police forces to relentlessly pursue known repeat offenders and secure their imprisonment. We cannot place the entire burden of responsibility on the victims." She went on to highlight the wider issue across not just the region but the whole nation: "The reality is we have got too many men being violent, not just in Devon and Cornwall, but across the country and the globe. "We need some radical solutions to disrupt what's going on in our communities." Urgent police review into stalking Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: 'Having met some of Claire's family following her tragic death, the force has conducted an urgent review of all our active stalking investigations. 'This has resulted in immediate changes to our stalking and harassment procedures. New policies have been implemented to ensure we provide greater focus on safeguarding victims, targeting perpetrators at the earliest opportunity and encouraging reporting. 'One of our priorities is to ensure we continue to improve how we investigate stalking and harassment, focusing on dealing proactively with dangerous perpetrators and giving greater confidence to victims of this harmful and dangerous crime.' ' We have a responsibility to call out behaviour' Across the country, volunteer organisations are spearheading initiatives to transform male attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls. Man Culture, a group in Plymouth, works directly with men and boys through education, mentorship and community engagement to challenge harmful stereotypes and encourage respect for Young, a group member, said: "Our approach centres on addressing inappropriate behaviour safely and compassionately. We have a responsibility to call out behaviour." He said: "Progress is frustratingly slow, though inappropriate behaviour is being challenged more frequently than in the past. "When we contextualise these behaviours within a broader culture where rape and murder represent the extreme end of the spectrum. "Many men dissociate themselves, thinking 'I'm not committing rape or murder, therefore I'm not contributing to the problem'."He went on to say: "It's essential that men actively participate in these crucial conversations." Reach out for help and support First Light is a Cornwall-based charity that helps anyone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence. Lyn Gooding, from the charity, said: "Claire was in fear of her life and sadly police didn't intervene soon enough in order to protect her, but it's really important that other people who may be experiencing this today reach out for help and support. "They've undertaken a review, they, you know, they're committed to giving the right response, and they should be held accountable to it, so make sure you make contact if you are scared today. "If friends or family are concerned about a relative or a friend and who they might be associated with, they themselves can go to the police and make a Claire's Law request. The police are then obliged to do an investigation to see if there's anything that might highlight a person being at risk, and then they will make a suitable disclosure to that individual."
The Independent
24-04-2025
- The Independent
Celebrity stalking victims have confidence to report offenders, prosecutor says
A senior prosecutor has said celebrities have the confidence to report stalkers after figures showed the number of prosecuted offences has doubled since 2020. Olivia Rose, the stalking lead for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the PA news agency the rise in the number of prosecutions 'has to be a positive thing'. She also said being a victim of cyber stalking, whether high-profile or not, 'can be incredibly isolating' because 'victims can't escape their abuse, and in the comfort of their own home they are constantly being stalked and abused'. Ms Rose said prosecutors need to be aware of the 'societal shift' presented in the Netflix show Adolescence and added that youngsters must be warned about 'falling into that trap of thinking it's OK to send' harmful messages. In the year 2023-24, the number of stalking offences prosecuted reached 5,859, up from 2,512 in 2020-21. A number of high-profile celebrities have been named as victims in recent months, including Cheryl Tweedy, Shirley Ballas and Fern Britton. Speaking as part of National Stalking Awareness Week, Ms Rose told PA: 'I would hope that we've done enough over the years, particularly with the charities, and particularly with the awareness… and what we've really tried to do year on year is to give victims the confidence to know that if they come forward, we will support them. 'We've got tools in our armoury that we can say, look, if you come forward, we can ask the court to apply for special measures so they can give their evidence behind a screen. 'We can ask the court if they can give evidence via a videolink, so they don't even need to go into the court so their voices are still heard, but they don't actually have to face the offender.' She continued: 'All victims are unique and we don't treat them any differently, whether they're celebrities or not. 'The cases of stalking or harassment that make the headlines are often celebrities, and I understand that, but these offences are often committed by somebody that the victim doesn't know. 'However, for us, celebrity cases only just scratch the surface of the stalking offences that we see. 'I think it's a misconception to think that only celebrities can be stalked. The majority of the victims that we see are not celebrities.' Addressing how prosecutors deal with cyber stalking, Ms Rose said: 'There is something in some of the harmful platforms that particularly youngsters are using, and that is something that we have to look at when we're looking at how to gather evidence and gathering evidence from social media. 'Being a victim of cyber stalking, whether you're a celebrity or not, can be incredibly isolating, because offenders can cross additional boundaries. 'They can't in what we would class as the traditional forms of stalking, so victims can't escape their abuse, and in the comfort of their own home they are constantly being stalked and abused.' Ms Rose said the rise in prosecution numbers 'has to be a positive thing', adding: 'It's a really hard one sometimes when people look at the numbers going up to say, well, actually, is that good then? 'But actually, what we say is that if we can, we can assure justice for victims, that we can give them the confidence to come forward and report these offences, that actually does show an improvement. 'We hope that this goes some way to reassure all victims, whether they're celebrities or not, that improvements are being made to protect them through the criminal justice system.' Asked if a large number of young offenders are being prosecuted for stalking offences, Ms Rose said: 'I think, as I said before, there is that certain societal shift that we need to be aware of. 'You see these programmes like Adolescence, etc – we know that it's there, and we know that we need to keep an eye on that, and we need to make sure that, again, we give young people confidence.' Asked if the Netflix show has helped raise awareness of the issue, she added: 'Personally, I think any kind of anything that raises awareness in this area has got to be a good thing. 'Does it help? Yes, because it builds awareness. And I think that, from my point of view, anything we can do to show that the dangers of perhaps young offenders falling into that trap of thinking it's OK to send that. 'I talk about the warning to stalkers, but I really wanted to send a warning to them to say you will not get away with this. It's not acceptable, and it has to stop. 'And particularly this point about the business, about the fact that it does tend to be these offences do tend to be committed by men against women, not always, but that seems to be the pattern that we're seeing.'
Evening Standard
24-04-2025
- Evening Standard
Celebrity stalking victims have confidence to report offenders, prosecutor says
Speaking as part of National Stalking Awareness Week, Ms Rose told PA: 'I would hope that we've done enough over the years, particularly with the charities, and particularly with the awareness… and what we've really tried to do year on year is to give victims the confidence to know that if they come forward, we will support them.
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Terrifying interactive map shows England and Wales' stalking hotspots - how common is it where you live?
Younger people, particularly younger women and girls, are more likely to victims of stalking in the UK - with one area topping the list for the most number of offences 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.'
