Police ‘must stop blaming victims’ of harassment

VICTIMS of stalking and harassment feel blamed by police investigating the crimes, the first ever review into management of the offences has found.

The audit into police and the Crown Prosecution Service found that victims had been told to change their behaviour to avoid being harassed and stalked.

Police had underestimated the seriousness of stalking or harassment and some victims were forced to report incidents multiple times before action was taken.

The HM Inspectorate of Constabulary investigation looked at 112 recent cases of stalking and harassment in six forces and found that, while some demonstrated good practice, there were failings in every single one. One anonymous victim said that police made her feel that it was “my fault for being on Facebook”.

“The only way to stop these messages is if I deactivate my Facebook account and come off social media. I didn’t think that was very fair at all,” she said.

Wendy Williams, HM inspector of constabulary, said the report found “worrying failings” and added: “It is not acceptable that victims and their families have to change their lives because of someone else.” The report recommended that the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 should be reviewed. Garry Shewan, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for stalking and harassment, said the police “must do better”.