Reported incidents of stalking and harrassment have doubled in a year

There was a 114% increase in the number of reported incidents of stalking, harassment and threats in the Cork City Garda Division over the last year.

The number of recorded incidents of stalking, harassment and threats have more than doubled in a year, new garda figures show.

The news comes as a major national survey is launched to gather for the first time detailed information on stalking and harassment experiences in Ireland.

Mary Crilly, the head of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, said the responses to the survey, which is being carried out in association with University College Cork (UCC) and Tusla, will be used to help shape the country’s policy and legislative response to the problem.

“The questions will look at the prevalence and type of stalking or harassment in Ireland today, giving us a national snapshot of the issue. UCC will then analyse the data which will be used to inform the policy response,” she said.

Mary Crilly, Cork Sexual Violence Centre. “There are so many guys who were doing it, who thought they were entitled to do it, and who were getting away with it. And the victims tended to minimise what was happening. But not anymore.” 

Ms Crilly announced the launch of the survey yesterday following the release of figures which show there was a 114% increase in the number of reported incidents of stalking, harassment and threats in the Cork City Garda Division over the last year.

The figure jumped from 14 recorded incidents in 2020 to 30 between January 1 and the end of November.

Chief Supt Tom Myers told the Cork City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) that while the figure has more than doubled, it is probably reflective of a greater confidence on the part of victims of domestic violence to report the matter in the first place.

Garda response

He said gardaí have focused a lot on improving their response to reports of domestic violence, especially during the various Covid-19 lockdowns.

He told the JPC that gardaí in the division have been undergoing online training on a domestic violence risk assessment tool, and that around 80% of the force has completed it.

The tool, which determines the risk to the potential victim, will help frontline gardaí who respond to reports of domestic violence determine future garda actions or interventions, he said.

It will also help gardaí to determine what additional supports may need to be put in place to help the victims, he said.

Ms Crilly said the increase in the figures comes as no surprise to those working in the area.

“It is probably a truer reflection of the scale of the problem,” she said.

“We have spoken to a lot of people in this situation over the last year, and we have encouraged them all to report it to gardaí and obviously many have.

“But there are probably 20 more who didn’t want to take it forward and report to gardaí.

“There are so many guys who were doing it, who thought they were entitled to do it, and who were getting away with it. And the victims tended to minimise what was happening. But not anymore.” 

Eve McDowell has spoken previously of her own experience of being a victim of stalking.

She praised stalking law campaigners, Una Ring and Eve McDowell, who spoke out about their own experiences at the hands of stalkers, and who are now campaigning for a new law to make stalking a standalone offence.

The JPC was also told that the number of menacing phone calls reported to gardaí in the city division has increased by 44% — from 39 last year to 56 between January and November this year.

You can complete the stalking and harassment survey at: www.stalkinginireland.ie.