I have personally experienced the distress of being stalked. Witnessing the reappearance of the stalker’s name evokes a sense of dread, coupled with the sinking feeling upon realizing they have found new ways to contact you. This fear permeates into your home, prompting you to double-check the locks, hesitate before opening the door, or even monitor your social media accounts.
Stalking transcends mere annoyance; it embodies a terrifying and incapacitating ordeal. It poses a real threat and is often disregarded. Therefore, the urgent independent review of our stalking laws announced today is not just a positive development but an essential one. It is a necessary step to honor every victim failed by a system that fails to acknowledge stalking as a severe crime that not only disrupts lives but, in extreme cases, leads to tragic ends.
Having interacted with victims who shared harrowing accounts of how stalking shattered their lives, I have heard their struggles with reporting to authorities who did not take their grievances seriously. They felt abandoned by laws that did not shield them and a justice system that failed to deliver justice. My personal encounters with stalking incidents drive my commitment to ensuring that this review instigates genuine transformation.
Conducted by Richard Wright KC, a highly experienced criminal barrister in the UK, this review aims to assess the adequacy of our laws in safeguarding victims and penalizing offenders. It will scrutinize the interplay between stalking and harassment laws, drawing from Richard’s involvement in prosecuting the case of Alice Ruggles, a victim tragically murdered by her stalker.
Richard’s direct exposure to the devastating impact of this crime underscores the critical need for effective legal frameworks. Importantly, the review will evaluate the adaptability of our laws to combat the evolving forms of stalking, particularly those manifesting online or through technological channels that were non-existent when our current laws were formulated.
Stalking does not always manifest as a shadowy figure lurking in the background. It can also manifest as someone surveilling your activities through your devices, social media, or smart gadgets. Our laws must evolve to identify and counteract these modern forms of stalking. While progress has been made with new legislation enhancing Stalking Protection Orders currently in Parliament, additional efforts are required to assist the estimated 1.4 million individuals who encountered stalking last year, as too many continue to be let down.
My personal dedication to reducing violence against women and girls by half within a decade stems from a profound drive to prevent others from enduring what I have experienced. It is about ensuring that victims are believed, shielded, and supported. Stalking serves as a precursor to potential harm, and turning a blind eye to it poses further risks. Let us not wait for another tragedy akin to Alice Ruggles’ murder; the time for action is now.
