Amber Rudd, has announced new stalking protection orders are going to be put in place which will allow police to apply to the courts before the suspect has been convicted or arrested. Meaning restrictions on suspected stalkers such as limiting their internet use and forcing them to seek treatment for mental health issues.
As part of a set of measures to prevent violence against women and girls, the order will also give anyone with a stalker protection similar to domestic abuse victims with a maximum sentence of five years in jail for anyone breaching the conditions. Additional protection will also be given to anyone who has not been in an intimate relationship with their stalker, which accounts for 50% of cases where the victim is targeted by someone they do not know or an acquaintance.
It’s estimated that each year 1.5 million women and 830,000 men are victims or stalking yet a measly 4,168 offences are recorded by police. You don’t have to be a rocket science to realise those numbers don’t match. It’s also pretty surprising that it wasn’t recognised as a criminal offence until 2012.
If you think you have a stalker but don't know what to do, get in touch with the National Stalking Helpline.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.