Group: Make stalking criminal offence

Stalking should be made a specific criminal offence because a growing number of young women are being terrorised via texts and social media sites, according to a leading domestic violence organisation.

Women’s Aid says current legislation is not strong enough and young women are being left “unprotected and vulnerable to abuse” as stalking and cyber-stalking is not explicitly addressed in law. Many women cannot get a safety order made against their stalker as domestic violence legislation is based around cohabitation. As many women affected are simply dating, they have no protection under current laws.

Terrified callers to the Women’s Aid national freephone helpline reveal how technology is being used by former and current boyfriends to “monitor and control” them; to regularly physically follow them; threaten to self-harm; break into their homes and cars; gather information on them from family and friends; harass people close to them and threaten to kill them.