Police record more than 30 stalking cases A DAY
SHOCKING FIGURES INCLUDE 1,134 OFFENCES IN KIRKLEES LAST YEAR
THE equivalent of more than 30 stalking offences a day were recorded by police across Yorkshire last year.
Some 11,244 stalking offences were recorded by the three police forces serving the area in 2021, according to the latest Home Office data. That was compared to 8,122 in 2020 and 2,798 in 2019.
However, the Home Office said figures for 2021 were not comparable with previous years due to a change in police recording practices, leading to a rise in the number of cases logged as stalking.
In Kirklees more than 1,000 of those offences took place.
In the Bradford community safety partnership area, 1,691 stalking offences were recorded, which at 3.1 per 1,000 residents was the highest rate in the area.
That was closely followed by Barnsley, where 3.0 offences were recorded per 1,000 residents.
Separate figures show that, of 11,016 stalking cases closed across Yorkshire in 2021, 624 (six per cent) resulted in a suspect being charged – similar to the seven per cent charge rate for all crimes.
But a further 5,826 (53 per cent) of stalking cases were closed after the alleged victim did not support further action, double the 27 per cent recorded for all crime types.
Stalking is defined as a pattern of repeated, unwanted behaviour that causes someone to feel distressed or scared.
It could include sending regular gifts or unwanted messages but may also involve physical and sexual assault.
According to stalking charity, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the majority of people who contact its helpline have been stalked by an ex-partner or someone they know.
Across England and Wales, police recorded more than 117,000 stalking offences last year – equivalent to more than 300 every day.
Of around 109,000 stalking cases closed by police across the two nations over the period, 7,069 (seven per cent) resulted in a charge or summons – similar to the overall charge rate of eight per cent.
But 57,402 (53 per cent) across England and Wales were closed after the alleged victim did not support further action, compared to 29 per cent for all crimes.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has called for extra funding for trained specialists to support victims of stalking, which it says will help improve charge and conviction rates.
Dame Vera Baird QC, Victim’s Commissioner for England and Wales, has backed the charity’s call for these dedicated “stalking advocates”.
She said: “Stalking is a dangerous and insidious crime and the impact on the victim can be devastating.
All too often, victims are not receiving the criminal justice outcomes that might be expected
“Yet, all too often, victims are not receiving the criminal justice outcomes that might be expected, underlining the need for specialist stalking support.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Stalking is an insidious crime that leaves many victims psychologically distressed.
“The Government takes its response to stalking extremely seriously, which is why we have tripled our funding to the National Stalking Helpline, introduced Stalking Protection Orders and doubled the maximum sentence for stalking from five to 10 years.
“Our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy also focuses on increasing support for survivors, bringing perpetrators to justice and prioritising prevention.
“That is why we’re improving our systems to better identify the risk perpetrators pose and enabling more effective data sharing between the police and other frontline agencies, so that potential stalkers are stopped from being able to harm innocent victims.”