Stalking offences in Suffolk have risen 182% this year despite new laws in place to protect people
The new laws are supposed to make it easier to place restrictions on suspected stalkers.
Last updated 15th Jun 2021
Stalking offences are on the rise, yet legal powers to protect stalking victims are not being used by all police forces.
Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) are a new civil power available to police which impose restrictions on suspected stalkers. They are designed to make it easier to curb the behaviour of stalkers, with a lower burden of proof required than for a criminal conviction.
But the use of SPOs, which have been available to police since January 2020, varies widely from force to force, with six failing to apply for a single order in the past 15 months.
Suffolk Police: “The greatest numbers of stalking offences are by individuals who know their victim."
In Suffolk, no SPOs have been applied for since they were introduced.
Suffolk Police say they take these crimes very seriously and officers are encouraged to issue SPOs where appropriate.
Eamonn Bridger, Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Investigations said: “We take all reports and cases of stalking extremely seriously.
“A small number of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) have now been issued in Suffolk and training has been undertaken in reference to the application of SPOs to encourage more police officers to make court applications in future cases where it is appropriate.
“That said, the limited number of SPOs granted is a national issue and it is a complex legal process. The court can put forward other alternatives as well such as bail conditions and harassment notices.”
How this compares to the rest of the UK
In England, just 294 orders have been granted since January 2020, despite more than 55,000 stalking incidents being recorded by police in the nine months to December 2020 alone.
And in Wales, only two orders were granted despite more than 4,000 stalking incidents recorded in the same period.
Meanwhile national crime outcomes data shows the number of stalking incidents recorded by police has surged since 2019.
The latest figures show 59,950 incidents were recorded across England and Wales in the nine months between April and December 2020 – almost double the annual number of incidents for the year ending March 2020.
And more than half of all police forces have seen stalking incidents double over the same time period, with two seeing an increase of more than 500%, and five more seeing the number of outcomes recorded more than triple.
While the national charge rate for stalking offences is at its lowest point for five years, falling from 23% in 2015/16 to just 6% for the nine months to December 2020. The lowest charge rate by any force is 2%.
Eamonn Bridger added: “A better understanding of stalking by victims and the police service, positively influenced by the media and support groups, has resulted in more confidence for those coming forward to report this type of crime.
“The greatest numbers of stalking offences are by individuals who know their victim. This can include ex-partners or someone you have had some sort of prior acquaintance with e.g. someone you may have dated or have been friends with. This is still stalking and it is wrong.
“We will use a range of methods to bring those responsible to justice. Each case is unique and officers continue to use domestic violence protection notices and bail conditions to protect victims from further harm.
“Be assured that we take stalking very seriously and urge you come and talk to us or relevant support groups if you have concerns, as we can help.“