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Abuse

Stalking and harassment

Definition

Stalking and harassment is a very common feature of domestic abuse. It occurs in isolation or as a component of the wider profile of abuse. High severity stalking and harassment can include behaviours such as constant communication, uninvited visits, loitering and threats to kill.

Cyberstalking is the same as the definition above but includes the use on online tools and technologies to enable the stalking.

Stalking and harassment are offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Unsure if you are a victim of stalking?

Consider the widely used acronym FOUR that can help identify stalking. Is the behaviour fixated, obsessive, unwanted & repeated?

You can also take an online assessment: Am I Being Stalked? | Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Examples

  • Creating fake profiles to monitor / contact you.
  • Hacking into your accounts and restricting access.
  • Hacking into your smart devices from third party apps or if they know your login details e.g., Amazon Alexa, Wi-fi Hub etc.
  • Using location trackers to monitor you e.g. Find My Phone, Snapchat location map, tagged images etc.
  • Receiving direct threats via social media or emails.
  • Using your image / information to create false accounts.
  • Telephone calls.
  • Following.
  • Making false complaints to employers.
  • Monitoring or spying.
  • Visiting your place of work.
  • Using cameras in your home to keep an eye on you. E.g.- baby monitors.
  • Putting cameras or listening devices in your home to monitor conversations.

Statistics

Anyone can become a victim of stalking. A report produced by Dr. Lorraine Sheridan and Network for Surviving Stalking, in which 2,292 victims of stalking were surveyed, found that victims’ ages ranged from 10 to 73, they were male and female, were spread across the entire socio-economic spectrum and a large proportion (38%) were professionals. Dr. Sheridan concluded that virtually anyone can become a victim of stalking and the only way to avoid doing so would be to avoid the social world.

In November 2012, stalking became a named offence in England and Wales for the first time.

When many people hear the word stalking, they still think of a stranger lurking in the shadows or a delusional fan following a celebrity. Whilst these cover some stalking scenarios, they are by no means the majority. About 45% of people who contact the Helpline are being stalked by ex-partners and a further third have had some sort of prior acquaintance with their stalker; you may have dated, married or been a friend with your stalker. Just because you know/knew the stalker does not mean that the situation is your fault - it is still stalking and it is wrong.

Safety Advice

Immediate harm:

  • Contact 999 if a person who is being abused feels that they are at risk of serious harm or homicide.
  • If the person who is being abused needs to be removed from their home for safety please contact their local housing department to make a homeless referral or contact Our refuges – Refuge or via their national helpline: 08002000247.
  • If a person is considered not to have the mental capacity or ability to make safe choices, make a referral to adult safeguarding services in your area.
  • If children are involved and at risk, make a safeguarding referral to your local team.
  • If there is an imminent risk of suicide or self harm, please refer the person being abused to: First Response Service | DPT by calling 08081968708. You may also need to call 999 and ask for ambulance or police.
  • Consider carrying a personal alarm.
  • Vary your daily routine and take different routes to and from work.
  • Know where the nearest safe location is, for instance a police station. But, if there isn’t one nearby, you could use a 24 hour supermarket with security guards and CCTV.
  • Talk to the police about using CCTV and/or installing a panic button at your home.
  • Consider installing an alarm system.
  • Ensure all your doors and windows are locked before you leave home or go to sleep.

Ongoing:

  • Do not engage with your stalker in any way.
  • Talk to family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, or your manager about the harassment if you feel comfortable doing so. The may be able to help by collecting further evidence on your behalf or by putting protective measures in place.
  • Be aware of how much of your personal information is in the public domain and take steps to protect your data.
  • Above everything, trust your instincts.
  • Get your computer checked for malware and key logging software.
  • Change your passwords frequently and don’t use the same password for everything.
  • Limit the amount of information you share about yourself on social networking site and check your privacy settings to ensure you are not giving away more information about yourself than you intend to.
  • Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date.
  • Report any stalking activity on websites to the administrators. If they won’t act, contact the web hosting company.

I want to leave my relationship safely – Women’s Aid (womensaid.org.uk)

Who to Contact

National Stalking Helpline | Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Information and support on tech abuse | Refuge Tech Safety

Paladin – National Stalking Advocacy Service (paladinservice.co.uk)

The Cyber Helpline

Get Safe Online | The UK’s leading Online Safety Advice Resource

Devon (not including Plymouth and Torbay): FearFree – Local Support for Domestic Abuse (03451551074)

North Devon: NDADA – Domestic Abuse support, recovery & refuge (01271 370079/80)

Torbay: Torbay Domestic Abuse Service (TDAS) | Sanctuary Supported Living (sanctuary-supported-living.co.uk) (08009161474)

Exeter- We are safe. About SAFE – SAFE Foundation (wearesafe.org.uk) 03030 300 112

More information

About stalking | Suzy Lamplugh Trust

What is stalking and harassment? | Police.uk (www.police.uk)

Paladin – Get informed (paladinservice.co.uk)

Digital and online safety | Safelives

Getting help

Womens Aid

For women who are experiencing or have experienced physical, mental, sexual or domestic violence or abuse. Offers advice, support and crisis intervention to abused women.

www.womensaid.org.uk

0808 2000 247

National Stalking Helpline

The National Stalking Helpline provides guidance and information to anybody who is currently or has previously been affected by harassment or stalking.

www.stalkinghelpline.org

0808 802 0300

Victim Support

Victim Support can give you both practical help and advice, and the emotional support you need to cope and recover from stalking.

www.victimsupport.org.uk

08 08 16 89 11


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