Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents
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Stalking – post relationship-breakdown<br />
Following the breakdown of their relationship, a man bombarded his girlfriend with text<br />
messages <strong>and</strong> phone calls (mainly related to wanting to get back together; threatening to<br />
commit suicide <strong>and</strong> including a semi-naked picture of her). He also turned up at the victim’s<br />
place of work on three occasions seeking reconciliation <strong>and</strong> became angry upon her refusal.<br />
He pleaded guilty to charges of stalking (s.2A stalking with fear, alarm <strong>and</strong> distress) <strong>and</strong><br />
harassment (s.4 put in fear of violence) <strong>and</strong> was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. A<br />
restraining order was issued on conviction which outlined that there should be no contact<br />
directly or indirectly, whether by social media or other electronic form. In addition, the<br />
restraining order stated that he was not to attend the victim’s place of residence <strong>and</strong>/or place<br />
of work, or any place he knew that she resided or worked.<br />
Training<br />
In July 2015 the CPS hosted a roundtable event with key stakeholders to discuss the data on<br />
prosecutions of stalking <strong>and</strong> harassment following the publication of the Annual VAWG <strong>Crime</strong> Report<br />
2014-15.<br />
Representatives from Paladin, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, <strong>Women</strong>’s Aid, SafeLives, Veritas-Justice,<br />
Voice4Victims, Protection <strong>against</strong> Stalking <strong>and</strong> a number of CPS prosecutors met to discuss how the<br />
CPS could improve its outcomes for stalking <strong>and</strong> harassment cases.<br />
Following this, stalking <strong>and</strong> harassment lead prosecutors were established in all CPS Areas <strong>and</strong><br />
representatives attended one-day Paladin stalking training.<br />
A Stalking Working Group was set up involving specialists from the CPS, MoJ, HO <strong>and</strong> key third sector<br />
agencies such as Suzy Lamplugh <strong>and</strong> Paladin. The group is exploring options to improve <strong>and</strong> increase<br />
stalking prosecutions.<br />
The working group developed a business case proposing training material to enable prosecutors to<br />
correctly differentiate between stalking <strong>and</strong> harassment behaviours. The training will outline to<br />
prosecutors the associated risks to victims in incorrectly identifying these cases, ensuring that<br />
stalking <strong>and</strong> harassment cases are correctly charged <strong>and</strong> prosecuted. The business case has been<br />
approved <strong>and</strong> the training is anticipated for delivery in 2016-17.<br />
Cross-government action<br />
In December 2015, the Home Office launched a public consultation on introducing new measures to<br />
tackle stalking. A Stalking Protection Order was proposed to provide better protection to victims of<br />
‘stranger stalking’, in particular before the stage when a prosecution can be brought. It aims to deter<br />
perpetrators before their fixation with their victim becomes entrenched. The Home Office is<br />
considering responses to the consultation <strong>and</strong> will publish the findings later in 2016.<br />
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