Tackling Stalking Digital Conference
(Ended 26th Jan 2024)

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26/01/2024 – 09:00 – 15:30

An estimated 2.5 million people in the UK are stalked each year.* With long-lasting impacts on the victim’s socioemotional health, if not addressed quickly, this devastating crime can also lead to more serious violence including homicide. It takes on average 100 incidents before victims report it to police** and just 5% of those stalking cases reported in England and Wales result in a charge by the CPS. In too many cases, there is a failure to investigate the crime appropriately, including erroneously dropping cases due to a perceived lack of evidence.***

Join Westminster Insight’s Tackling Stalking Digital Conference, chaired by Saskia Garner, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Expert speakers will discuss collaborative working across the police, criminal justice, probation, health, and victim advocates services, to improve prevention, victim support and conviction rates for stalking in all its forms.

Hear directly from Jess Phillips MP, Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, who will discuss latest updates in policy and funding for stalking interventions and understand the legal definitions of stalking and harassment.

Hear from experts on the psychology of stalking, understand the different stalker types, address common myths and misconceptions, and use this to support early intervention and prevention. Dr Rachel Wheatly, Co-Developer of the Early Awareness Stalking Intervention (EASI) project and Dr Alan Underwood, Clinical Psychologist at the Stalking Threat Assessment Centre will discuss how to intervene early to prevent perpetrator behaviour from escalating.

We will hear from lived experience and specialist victims’ services on support for the victims of stalking and bridging the gap between domestic abuse and stalking. Professor Clive Ruggles, Co-Founder and Chair of the Alice Ruggles Trust will discuss how to encourage victims to come forward and provide support through the different stages of their case.

Get inspiration from best practice in policing strategies to tackle stalking. Hear how you can ensure all teams are equipped to provide the appropriate and safe response to stalking, including first responders. We will discuss how to work with the CPS and get justice for victims through improved use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) and appropriate sentencing.

With the rise in cyber stalking in recent years, and cyber stalking being a priority legal offence in the Online Safety Bill, we will spotlight what you can do to tackle this form of stalking. Dr Emma Short, Co-Founder of the National Centre for Cyberstalking Research will spotlight cyber stalking, disrupting perpetrators and supporting the victims.

Key Points

• The latest updates in the policy and funding for stalking interventions
• Legally defining stalking and harassment
• Understanding the psychology behind stalking: addressing common myths and misconceptions
• Multi-agency working to improve early intervention and reduce escalation
• Improving support for the victims of all forms of stalking: bridging the gap between domestic abuse and stalking
• Bringing perpetrators to justice: police and CPS approaches to stalking and the use of SPOs
• Spotlighting how to tackle cyberstalking

Who should attend

This conference is for professionals working across the police, criminal justice and emergency services, local authorities, healthcare, housing and the third sector, who may come across cases of stalking. This includes:

• Police First Response Units, Stalking SPOCs and officers, MAPPA and MARAC Teams
• Office of Police and Crime Commissioners
• Domestic Abuse and VAWG specialists, including IDVAs and ISVAs
• Victims’ Services
• Adult Safeguarding Teams
• Clinical and Forensic Psychologists
• Probation and Offender Management Services
• Prosecutors and Judges
• Designated Safeguarding Officers and PSHE Curriculum Leads within schools

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