Systemic Failure By Police To Investigate Stalking Cases & Protect Victims

Protection Against Stalking (PAS) welcomes the publication of the report by HMICFRS, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the College of Policing following their investigation into the systemic failures by police responding to stalking cases across England and Wales and placing victims of stalking at greater risk.

In 2022, Protection Against Stalking (PAS), as a founding member of the National Stalking Consortium, supported the submission of a super-complaint against police. Although pockets of good practice exist, too many victims of stalking are left unprotected and further abused by the process owing to police:

  • Failing to recognise stalking behaviours and patterns of stalking behaviour
  • Failing to properly assess risk and safeguard victims, particularly victims with protective characteristics
  • Poor investigations resulting in no prosecution or inappropriate charges being laid
  • Lack of awareness of Stalking Protection Orders and failing to protect stalking victims by delaying applications
  • Failure to consider breaches of protective orders as high risk or that such breaches are a continued pattern of stalking and a separate crime of stalking

The report supports the concerns raised by PAS and the National Stalking Consortium. It will be important for the government and all police forces to critically evaluate their response to stalking, work alongside independent specialist stalking experts to agree on an improvement plan and use these recommendations as a catalyst for real change. It is too easy for police forces to convince themselves they understand stalking and respond appropriately by producing supportive statistics. The experience of stalking victims and stalking case workers says something different.

PAS will continue to work with police to improve the knowledge and understanding of officers and facilitate them to understand first-hand about the experience of stalking victims. We believe all officers dealing with cases of stalking must complete training by an independent specialist stalking training provider, such as PAS, to adequately identify, investigate and risk assess cases of stalking. 2

Recognising not all stalking is related to domestic abuse, PAS calls on government and police & crime commissioners to properly fund locally based specialist independent stalking advocacy services to ensure victims are supported in a holistic way with local agencies working together to safeguard stalking victims and their families, ensuring victims have a voice in the process.

Trustee & Co-Founder of PAS, Tricia Bernal, whose daughter, Clare, was murdered by her stalker, said, “I am bitterly disappointed to read this report and see the same systemic failings that were present when Clare was murdered. Victims of stalking deserve better. I believe there would have been a different outcome if PAS had been there for Clare.”

For Information

Stalking is an insidious and psychological crime.

Protection Against Stalking (PAS) was founded by two mothers, Tricia Bernal and Carol Faruqui, whose daughters were murdered by their stalker. The risks faced by their daughters were not recognised by police or the criminal justice system.

PAS launched the National Stalking Helpline in 2011, campaigned for stalking-specific legislation in 2012 and developed the first stalking training standards 10 years ago. 2012

PAS continues to raise awareness of stalking and provides locally based independent advocacy support to victims of stalking and their families.

Statistics

  • 1.6 million people are stalked in England & Wales each year (ONS)
  • PAS supported over 1,400 victims of stalking during 2023.
  • 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men will be the victim of stalking (aged 16 and above).
  • 94% of women who are murdered by a man were stalked as a precursor to the murder.
  • With the advent of the digital world, PAS has seen increased referrals from children and young people.

National Stalking Consortium

PAS is a founder member of the National Stalking Consortium, comprising 21 stalking specialists, including frontline services, victims and academics. PAS and the Consortium provided a number of case studies to the investigation team to demonstrate the experience of victims of stalking within the criminal justice system.

Contact details:

For victims: support@protectionagainststalking.org
For training: training@protectionagainststalking.org
For media: media@protectionagainststalking.org
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