'Baby Reindeer' raises awareness of males who've been victims of stalking
Cornwall charity First Light says TV exposure helps people to 'identify abusive relationships and stalking or harassment'
TV shows, like recent hit-Netflix series Baby Reindeer, have been shining a light on male stalking and where people can seek support.
Recent figures found around 13% of victims seeking support from the National Stalking Service identify as male, with around 17% of perpetrators identifying as female.
Mel Francis is the director of domestic abuse services from First Light, who provide support for domestic abuse and sexual abuse victims in Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly as well as further support across England and Wales.
She spoke to us about how despite more statistics showing women who are victims, TV exposure is 'important':
"There are men also who are being harassed, who are being stalked, who are experiencing domestic abuse and there is support out there for them. I think it's important that the message is it could affect anybody and it's not gender specific always.
"By bringing it into people's homes it's maybe helping people to identify that they're experiencing abusive relationships or they're experiencing stalking or harassment. It's important to be aware it can be quite confusing.
"Speak out, talk to friends, talk to family, ring a helpline"
"Reach out to anyone, talk to people and there are support services out there. If you are in an abusive relationship or situation or you feel as though you're being stalked, it's not going to get any better without some support."
In a statement from the Suzy Lampugh Trust who run a National Stalking Service: "In light of the widespread media interest in Richard Gadd's Netflix series ’Baby Reindeer’ we would like to commend all victims of stalking who have had the courage to come forward and seek support for this devastating crime.
"The experiences portrayed in Baby Reindeer are a shocking reminder of the extent to which stalkers will pursue their victim through any means possible and how frightening this is for anyone who is the subject of such fixated and obsessive behaviours.
"Around 13% of victims seeking support from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s National Stalking Service identify as male, with around 17 % of perpetrators identifying as female. While this is predominantly a crime which disproportionately affects women, with around 64% of stalking victims identifying as female and 71 % of perpetrators identifying as male, there is no such thing as a typical stalker or stalking victim and Baby Reindeer highlights the fact that anyone can experience this.
"The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is working to roll out its Multi-Agency Stalking Intervention Programme model (MASIP) across police forces following the success of its pilot sites in Cheshire, Hampshire and London. This model focuses on breaking the patterns of obsession and fixation in individual perpetrators and is tailored to their specific triggers and behaviour patterns. Crucially the victim remains central to this process and their safety must be paramount."
Anyone who thinks they might be being stalked are being encouraged to call the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 or contact the helpline on their website.
For local support from First Light for victims of domestic or sexual abuse in Cornwall, you can call their helpline on 0300 777 4777 or visit the First Light website.