Stalking and Harassment
Help and Advice for Victims
From November 25, 2012, stalking
will become a criminal offence. Two new specific criminal offences
of stalking are being introduced in England and Wales.
• Stalking
• Stalking where there is fear of violence
The new offences of stalking and
stalking where there is a fear of violence will be created to sit
alongside existing offences of harassment in the Protection of
Harassment Act 1997 (PHA).
The police will also be given new powers of entry to investigate
stalking offences. Until now, the police have only had a right of
entry in respect of conduct that puts people in fear of
violence.
In addition to the introduction of these new offences, the
government is looking at better training and guidance for the
police and Crown Prosecution Service so that victims of stalking
get the support they deserve.
Detective Inspector Duncan Sales from Hertfordshire’s Harm
Reduction Unit said: “We welcome this change in legislation to help
us combat this insidious crime. The key to protecting victims and
alleviating the fear and harm is through people having the
knowledge of what stalking is and what to do about it.
“We would always ask victims to
contact us to report any offences of stalking or harassment. You
can get in touch with police by calling 
101. In an emergency – if there is
imminent fear for someone’s safety, ALWAYS call 999.
“To seek advice and guidance, you
can also call the National Stalking
Helpline 0808 802
0300 or e-mail 
advice@stalkinghelpline.org.”
Stalking is defined as repeated,
unwanted intrusions into the victim’s life that cause them to feel
scared or distressed. It doesn’t have to include threats of
violence and will usually be carried out by someone the victim
knows.
Stalking isn’t a ‘one off’ crime.
It’s a series of incidents – taken in isolation they can appear
trivial (bumping into someone outside your house for example or
getting text messages) but put them together and they become far
more sinister.
• Over 1.2 million women and
900,000 men are stalked every year according to the British Crime
Survey.
• 8% of women and 6% of men are
stalked every year (BCS)
• 19% of women and 12% of men have
experienced stalking or harassment at some point in their lives.
(BCS)
• 50% of stalking cases involve
ex-partners. Statistically these victims are at a higher risk of
violence.
• Early intervention in a stalking
case is important
Hertfordshire Constabulary is
committed to providing help and services to those affected by
stalking and harassment.
Stalking and harassment can be life
changing for a victim and their family. It can cause intimidation,
loss of jobs and put a huge strain on relationships.
Officers are trained to support
victims and are dedicated to bringing those responsible to
justice.
Please click on the links on the
left hand side for more information.
Downloads
You can download a Put a
Stop to Stalking Poster here
You can download a Stalking
Helpline Poster here
You
can download an Essential Information Leaflet here