Suzy Lamplugh Trust urges government to tackle 'unacceptably low' stalking conviction rate
Less than 1% of stalking cases across the country currently lead to a criminal conviction
Last updated 28th Jul 2021
A charity that was founded in memory of Suzy Lamplugh is calling for the government to do more to tackle stalking.
Who was Suzy Lamplugh?
In 1986, the woman from Gloucestershire went missing during the course of a working day.
The Estate Agent, aged 25 at the time, was showing a client around a house in west London.
Despite an extensive police investigation, and widespread media coverage at the time, no telling information came to light regarding her disappearance.
Miss Lamplugh's body was never found. Police presumed her to be murdered and she was legally declared dead in 1993.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was founded by her parents, who believe Miss Lamplugh may have been stalked herself.
The charity describes itself as striving "to enable individuals and organisations to be and feel safer".
How widespread a problem is stalking today?
This week marks exactly 35 years since Miss Lamplugh disappeared.
There are currently an estimated 1.5 million cases of stalking every year across England and Wales. According to The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, during the year ending March 2020, 0.1% of these incidents led to a conviction.
The charity has branded this figure "unacceptably low".
'Better represent the needs of victims'
Greatest Hits Radio asked Saskia Garner, the Trust's Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager, how to address the fact that the overwhelming majority of stalkers aren't being brought to justice.
"A huge step for us would be an independent taskforce, to really carefully look at and to pinpoint the problems that are preventing victims from getting the justice that they want.
"When they first pluck up the courage to make a report of stalking, after that the drop-off rate for those cases is really quite significant and has been continually decreasing for the last five years.
"We need a taskgroup to really analyse what is happening at every step and what is going wrong - and come up with recommendations for the government ... to better represent the needs of victims".
The Trust also claims that other measures are needed to recognise and tackle stalking nationwide. They include "far better training" for police forces and criminal justice employees, as well as greater funding and support for victims.
The Home Office has been contacted for a response.