‘He threatened to rape me and my mum’

Latest figures show rise in stalking and harrassment cases, but Staffordshire Police have been accused of letting down victims. reports

COMPLAINTS about stalking and harassment are on the rise in Staffordshire. Latest Office for National Statistics data shows Staffordshire Police recorded a 13 per cent rise in cases in the 12 months to last September – the third highest in England.

Staffordshire Police say they take incidents of stalking and harassment ‘very seriously.’

But victims have criticised the force’s reaction to their complaints.

One woman started performing adult content on Onlyfans during the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “One of my subscribers sent me a message and used my real name as well as my mum’s real name and her profession and the street I lived on. He said I had told him the information on a night out when I was drunk, but I never get drunk enough to forget my nights when I go out and he refused to tell me his real name because it’s a username on Only Fans.

“The other thing was we had just moved house so if I had somehow told him my address on a night out then it would have been my old street name as I moved just over a month before we went into lockdown. He threatened to knock on every door in the street and rape me and my mum if he got the address right.

“He was saying nasty and rude comments to me and sexualising my appearance, describing my breasts as ‘fairy cakes.’ I was scared for both my own and my mum’s safety, so I contacted Staffordshire Police.

“I sent them screenshots of the messages as well as the user ID and username of the subscriber who had sent them. I said to the police that because he would have had to link his bank details to access my account in the first place, surely they could get in touch with Only Fans and track him down through either his bank details or IP address.

“After a few weeks, the police said they couldn’t find him and closed the case. I couldn’t sleep for months and I felt unsafe. We had CCTV installed around the house and I stopped creating content for Only Fans as I was scared about it happening again.” Staffordshire Police have outlined the support that is available to stalking victims.

Detective Inspector Victoria Ison below, said: “We take reports of stalking and harassment in Staffordshire very seriously. We understand the devastating impact stalking can have on victims and their families.

“We continue to do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice. We have seen better identification of stalking and harassment through mandatory training of frontline staff and numerous internal and external campaigns to raise awareness of the types of behaviour that fall under stalking and harassment; and to encourage reporting of such behaviour.

“Changes to how we record antisocial behaviour have also seen an expected increase in other crime types, including stalking and harassment. Crime data integrity inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services show this to be a common issue nationally.

“If you, or someone you know, is experiencing stalking and harassment, please contact us so we can take robust action against offenders. This can include the use of stalking protection orders following arrest. These safeguard victims while we investigate the crime and gather evidence, enabling the suspect to be charged and prosecuted.

“Our specially-trained officers are on hand to support victims and we work closely with external agencies that provide emotional support and practical help to victims. Anyone with concerns about stalking should message us through our Live Chat function on our website, or call 101. You should always call 999 in an emergency.”

Alex Mayes, external affairs manager at Victim Support, added: “If you are experiencing obsessive, unwanted or repeated attention that is making you feel anxious or afraid, then you are a victim of stalking. Stalking can take place in person, over the internet or on social media – known as cyberstalking – and it can happen over an incredibly long period of time, making it particularly hard to cope with. All victims of stalking need to know that this is not something you should have to live with. Get in touch with Victim Support by visiting our website – we can offer help and advice, as well as signposting you to the right support services in your area.”

To get help with stalking and harassment, contact Victim Support on 0808 1689 111.