Campaign highlights stalking and harassment
A campaign to encourage men and women who have experienced stalking or harassment to come forward is being launched. Leicestershire County Council has joined up with partners including the police, support services and domestic abuse forums to highlight the issue during Domestic Abuse Awareness Week which runs from November 22-26.
Posters will be distributed around the county with information on them on how you can get help if your partner / ex-partner’s or anyone else’s behaviour scares you, and information will also be uploaded onto this website.
Stalking and harassment is behaviour which is repeated and unwanted and can include, but is not restricted to:
•Appearing at a victim’s home, work place or other places they may frequent
•Frequent unwanted contacts, telephone calls, texts, emails.
•Following, watching or loitering
•Driving past the victim’s home.
•Contact through social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace.
•Sending letters or unwanted gifts.
•Damaging property.
•Burglary or robbery of the victim’s home.
•Threats to harm or kill.
•Physical and/or sexual assault
Joe Orson, Cabinet Member for Safer Communties at Leicestershire County Council and Chairman of the Leicestershire Multiagency Domestic Abuse Strategy Board, said: “The effects of stalking and harassment can be devastating and men, as well as women, can be affected.
“They can take a huge emotional toll causing symptoms such as anxiety, anger, depression, paranoia and agoraphobia; and can even cause victims to lose their jobs or relationship.
“Often victims feel confused as to whether they are indeed victims of stalking or harassment.
“We want people who feel they are experiencing this to know help and advice is out there and, importantly, they are not alone.”
DS Pete Williams, Leicestershire Constabulary DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) lead, said: “It is important to recognise that domestic stalkers can be THE most dangerous.
“They are more likely to threaten new partners and friends of the victim, and be more aggressive and intrusive in their behaviour.
“By not reporting, a victim isolates themselves from those empowered to protect them allowing the behaviour to continue and become worse as the stalker gains confidence.”
The police risk assess each case of stalking and harrassment to identify the potential level of harm. They have introduced the innovative electronic DASH tool to identify stalking behaviour before a serious offence occurs.
DS Williams added: “I took the time to consult with former victims before introducing DASH. They told me that our plans would have helped them see the risk and benefit of support much earlier, lessening the long term affects of the abuse.
“This valuable insight helps me to ensure the Police response is fit for purpose and is one reason why Leicestershire Police fully supports the aims and work of the National Stalking Helpline.”
Suki Kaur, Chief Executive of the Domestic Violence Integrated Response Project (DVIRP), which manages the Domestic Violence Helpline, said: “This campaign is so important for people to understand what constitutes stalking and harrassment.
“Victims need to know that support is out there and that they can be protected from stalking and harrassment instead of living under constant fear.”
As part of the campaign, a guide has been produced for professionals to help them understand and support victims of stalking and harrassment.
And the local Domestic Abuse Forums in Charnwood and North West Leicestershire will be holding a stalking and harrassment conference on November 23 at the Police HQ in Enderby. The main speaker will be Laura Richards, a criminal behaviour psychologist who has worked on a number of high profile cases including Ian Huntley and Peter Tobin.
Organisations supporting the campaign include Blaby District Council Domestic Abuse Service, DVIRP, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council Domestic Abuse Service, Leicestershire Constabulary, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Rape Crisis, Loughborough Women’s Aid, Melton Domestic Abuse Forum, Rutland Domestic Abuse Forum, South Leicestershire Domestic Abuse Forum, Victim Support, Women’s Aid Leicestershire.
For help and advice call The National Stalking Helpline on 0300 6360300 or the Domestic Violence Helpline on 0116 255 0004.
In an emergency call 999.