Stalking can have lasting effects on victims, affecting their mental and physical health, undermining their employment or wrecking their social life, according to new research.
The Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) survey of 128 victims of stalking, heard of suicide attempts, anxiety, depression and isolation, while some of those targeted said they had had to change jobs or move house. The research is being published ahead of a week to raise awareness of stalking.
It also comes in the wake of a number of high profile cases, including that of Alice Ruggles. The 24 year old was murdered in Gateshead in 2016 by a former soldier and ex-boyfriend who had alienated her from friends and drove 120 miles from his Edinburgh barracks to confront her.
But even non-violent stalking can have serious consequences, the study found. Stalking behaviours reported by victims included spying, remote surveillance, unwanted phone calls, notes, letters texts, emails or social media message, violent threats and harrassment.
The GCU researchers say their findings suggest such behaviours should be treated as seriously as domestic abuse by the justice system.
Katy Proctor, lecturer in criminology and lead researcher on the study, warned against taking non-violent stalking less seriously and called for designated task forces and specialist courts to deal with stalking in all its forms. She said: “There’s a danger that by focusing solely on the physical risk posed by violent stalkers. It allows those who cause emotional damage to continue their behaviour.
“If we are to support and protect victims of stalking effectively, the justice system needs to recognise the potential of non-violent offenders to cause significant and long-lasting harm.”
In many cases, individual acts and behaviours, especially seen in isolation, might not be obviously criminal or threatening. This can make it harder for police or the courts to respond.
“The criminal justice system operates on an incident by incident basis, so it doesn’t easily recognise or pick up on a course of conduct,” Ms Proctor said. “It is the course of conduct that creates fear and alarm, and that needs to be recognised.”
The survey found 24 per cent of those questioned had been stalked by an acquaintance and 11 per cent by a work colleague. Just over three-quarters of those who took part (76 per cent), were women who were stalked by men.
However less than half (49 per cent) of those surveyed had reported their concerns to Police Scotland. Many blamed themselves. Asked how being victimised made them feel, 83 per cent said they felt they may have done something to trigger the behaviour and 77 per cent said they felt shame. But victims are in no way responsible, Ms Proctor said. While some stalkers are simply deluded about their victim’s feelings, for most it is about power and control, similar to domestic abuse, she added.
National Stalking Awareness Week, which runs from Monday, April 8, to Friday, April 12, will this year focus on the impact stalking has on victims’ mental and emotional health. Experts are calling for specialist training to be rolled out throughout the criminal justice system to recognise stalking can take place across all relationship types.
A social media campaign, entitled #StalkingStealsLives, will aim to raise awareness among health professionals about the seriousness of stalking.
Against a backdrop of falling overall crime rates, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey showed a near doubling of stalking incidents over the last five years.
Last month, figures showed nearly a quarter of young women had been the victim of stalking or harassment in the last year, while incidents of so-called cyber-stalking continue to rise. Of those who reported stalk four per cent had had intimate pictures shared without their permission, 10 per cent had been followed and two thirds had received unwanted messages by text, email or social media.
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