Stalking to hit all-time high in parts of North-East as cases spike during Covid

Home Office data shows that the number of stalking offences recorded in the six months between April and September by Durham Constabulary is already 51 per cent higher than the amount recorded during the whole previous year.

The force recorded 1,238 stalking offences between April and September – in the 12 months to March 2020 there were 822.

• READ MORE: Crime against women and girls in North-East revealed in wake of Sarah Everard death

The data follows murder of Sarah Everard, which triggered a public outcry about the safety of women and how offences against them are dealt with.

It means that in the first six months since the coronavirus pandemic hit, stalking was reported seven times a day on average.

Changes in law and procedures may have had an impact on the figures but The Suzy Lamplugh Trust says calls to its National Stalking Helpline have risen since the start of the pandemic, with cyber stalking cases also surging.

As lockdown restrictions eased, a higher number of victims came forward to report stalking, compared to the first lockdown months. Between July and September, 628 such crimes were reported in Durham – 18 more than the previous three months.

Durham Police has put additional resources into its safeguarding team and urges victims to come forward.

A Durham Constabulary spokeswoman said: “We have been working with the support of The Alice Ruggles Trust over the past few years and have made changes which include training our call handlers to identify and deal with potential incidents of stalking that are reported to them.”

The Alice Ruggles Trust raises awareness of stalking and campaigns for the protection of victims.

The spokeswoman added: “We will ensure all victims are offered the help and support they need, and that the perpetrators are investigated and brought to justice.”

As Durham is a popular student city, police and Durham City Safety Group are working with the university to help its students stay safe.

A Durham University spokesperson said: “The safety of students is of the utmost importance to us. Durham is a safe place to live, work and study and we are committed to making it safer still.

“That’s why we’re part of key partnerships and why we contribute to the costs of a term time police presence.

“Our key advice on staying safe is: if you choose to drink alcohol, please do so responsibly; always plan how you will get home before going out; take safe routes home avoiding the river; and look after your friends and stick together when walking home.”

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Across England and Wales, 44,990 stalking incidents were reported to police between April and September – 39 per cent more than in the whole of 2019-20.

In January 2020, the Home Office introduced Stalking Protection Orders, which ban perpetrators from approaching their victims and may also force them to seek professional help.

Changes to the way stalking is recorded were also introduced in April 2019, with the crime being recorded in addition to the most serious offence involving the same victim or offender.

Since April 2020, all cases of harassment reported between ex-partners must also be recorded as stalking, unless the police are satisfied stalking is not a factor.

However, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust said that while these changes may have contributed to a rise in reports, there was still significant underreporting of the crime.

A spokesman for the charity said: “Since March 2020 we have seen a rise in calls to the helpline, clients are more distressed and are requiring much greater support, we have also seen an increase in cyber stalking cases.

“Demand has fluctuated to the helpline over the course of the pandemic, in some periods it has tripled on pre-Covid levels.

“The introduction of Stalking Protection Orders has been very much welcomed, though we do still hope to see more police forces issuing them.

“According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales there are around 1.5 million victims of stalking each year and as such we believe there is still significant underreporting of this crime.”

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Victoria Atkins, Safeguarding Minister, said: “The Government introduced Stalking Protection Orders last year to crack down on this deeply distressing crime, and I know that police forces are making good use of them.

“These orders are designed to stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity and prevent them contacting victims - for those who refuse to be rehabilitated, we have doubled maximum sentences for stalking and harassment to 10 years.

“The Home Office also part-funds the National Stalking Helpline and has allocated £211,000 to stalking-focused charities to help them to deal with the consequences of the pandemic.

“The increased reporting in this instance demonstrates greater public awareness around stalking offences and the commitment of the police to tackle this abhorrent crime.”

It comes as Boris Johnson insisted a “cultural and social change” in attitudes is required to ensure women are heard and protected.

The Prime Minister was urged by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to work with him to ensure the death of Sarah Everard is a “watershed moment” and a “turning point” for tackling the “epidemic” of violence against women and girls.

Durham University urged any students with safety concerns to contact their college or the Police University Liaison Team via the non-emergency number 101.