Ten Years On: Stalking in Kirklees, policing and support for victims.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Huddersfield
Department Name: Sch of Human and Health Sciences
Abstract
Stalking is included in the governments national strategy on violence against women and girls, whilst people of all genders can be victims, the majority of victims are women and the majority of perpetrators are men. Research nationally has identified a whole range of negative effects on stalking victims' psychological and physical health and has established a link to domestic murder, making prevention and early intervention particularly important. Stalking offences were introduced into law in England and Wales ten years ago in 2012, there has been a large increase in reports of stalking across West Yorkshire in the last two years, including in the Kirklees district, but convictions for stalking offences are low. There is no recent research on stalking in West Yorkshire nor any specialist support provision for victims, despite research showing such support brings about much better outcomes in terms of victims health and well being and in the criminal justice system (Suzy Lamplugh Trust 2022). Secure Societies Institute (SSI) at the University of Huddersfield are carrying out an action research project which will bring the issue of stalking from the margins to the centre in policy, practice addressing violence against women and girls in the West Yorkshire region. We are carrying out an action research project focused on the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, which involves the voices of women who have been victims of stalking. Our main partners in the project are West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (West Yorkshire combined Authority), Safer Kirklees and Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership. Action research is committed to supporting change, improving The main strands to the project are;
a. Setting up a new stalking knowledge and research hub linked to the Secure Societies Institute at the University of Huddersfield.
b. Reviewing police data on stalking and investigative decision making in stalking cases to inform improvements to policing responses.
c. Scoping current support for victims of stalking and review best practice for stalking victims/survivors internationally.
d. Consulting/involving women who have been victims of stalking about their experience of support and views on improving support.
e. Producing a model for a stalking support provision, produced with victims of stalking their advocates, domestic and sexual abuse services, women's and girls services and other organisations.
We will share practice and academic learning from the project across West Yorkshire via the hub. We will also share learning via the established multi-agency and community networks that the university and our partners, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, Safer Kirklees and Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership are active within. Also we will share learning nationally.
a. Setting up a new stalking knowledge and research hub linked to the Secure Societies Institute at the University of Huddersfield.
b. Reviewing police data on stalking and investigative decision making in stalking cases to inform improvements to policing responses.
c. Scoping current support for victims of stalking and review best practice for stalking victims/survivors internationally.
d. Consulting/involving women who have been victims of stalking about their experience of support and views on improving support.
e. Producing a model for a stalking support provision, produced with victims of stalking their advocates, domestic and sexual abuse services, women's and girls services and other organisations.
We will share practice and academic learning from the project across West Yorkshire via the hub. We will also share learning via the established multi-agency and community networks that the university and our partners, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, Safer Kirklees and Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership are active within. Also we will share learning nationally.
Organisations
Publications
Brown, Kate
(2025)
Palgrave Handbook of Violence Against Women and Girls'
Campbell, R., Wood, K. And Theoubauld-Ho, D.
(2024)
Ten Years On: stalking in Kirklees policing and support for victims -Lived Experience Voices Key Findings Report
| Title | Stepping out of silence: stalking support and seeking justice in Kirklees |
| Description | This is a three minute animation based on findings from interviews with women of lived experience of stalking carried out as part of this action research project. The idea for the project came from the lived experience "influencers group" which advised throughout the project, it was coproduced with the influencers and some other women who took part in interviews, whose stories are told in the animation. We secured £6,230.00 funding from the ESRC and AHRC impact acceleration funds at the University of Huddersfield (NB I have struggled to add this to the additional funding section) , this funding allowed us to work with a digital content company who brought the vision of the women to life. The animation communicates three key areas of findings the far reaching detrimental impacts of stalking on women in Kirklees, their mixed experiences of policing and the critical importance of specialist support services and peer support at points of crisis and for longer term recovery. The animation has been shared widely across West Yorkshire by all our partners and with national stalking consortium members. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Women who were involved in the production of the animation reported "increased confidence", a sense of "being heard" and "empowered" because their experiences of abuse were being "used for good" i.e. to raise awareness, prevent stalking and signpost women to services. The animation has begun to be used in police training at district level which will contribute to increased police understanding of the serious of stalking and the approach from police that survivors want to see. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv7uQ6hpeGg |
| Description | This project has discovered that; *The most commonly reported form of stalking experienced by women in Kirklees is domestic abuse stalking carried out by former partners, this historically has been overlooked within the criminal justice system, amongst complex patterns of domestic abuse. *Women with lived experience of stalking had mixed experiences of policing. Some felt they had received a very poor response feeling their experience had been minimised, with little empathy and understanding displayed whereas others were satisfied with the response received. The policing of stalking in Kirklees is under going transformation with stalking now a priority at district level within Kirklees district and the activity of the stalking coordination unit. *Specialist stalking support and advocacy services and support from domestic abuse services for stalking survivors were vital at points of crisis and for longer term recovery and empowerment for survivors. *Stalking by proxy (where primary stalkers enlist another person to stalk) was experienced by the majority of women who took part in this research. This is an under researched phenomenon and often remains unaddressed in the criminal justice system, with the focus being on the initial primary stalker. This projects key achievements are it has; *Put a spotlight on stalking in the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, increasing policy momentum around stalking, raising awareness about stalking amongst professionals in the district and making stalking a priority policy in Kirklees District West Yorkshire Police VAWG policy. *Established the stalking research, prevention and practice hub: the only multi agency forum focused on stalking in Kirklees and wider West Yorkshire to inform polcy and practice and identify new areas for applied and action research. The hub met throughout the project and continues to meet beyond the project coordinated by Secure Societies Institute, University of Huddersfield. *Empowered women with lived experience of stalking to tell their stories and find their voice to influence policy and practice around stalking in Kirklees and Beyond. A key outcome of the project of is the establishment of a voice on advocacy group to carry on and expand the work of the influencers, women of lived experience of stalking who advised on this project. The group continues to meet and organise with the objective of improving responses to stalking and raising awareness to help prevent stalking. *Secured funding to produce a short animation reflecting key findings from the lived experience interviews. This is an openly available to all and can be used by anyone to raise awareness about domestic abuse stalking. *Increased awareness of stalking and referral routes to the new stalking service and other services offer support amongst health, social care and women's services in the third and statutory sector across Kirklees. |
| Exploitation Route | *Our research can be used by policy makers and community safety practitioner in other areas as a model for how a participatory action research project can be a vehicle for bringing stalking from the margin to centre in VAWG policy and practice and how academics working collaboratively can be part of creating momentum around stalking in a local district. *The animation we have produced based on findings from the this research can be used freely by academics, practitioners working around VAWG and supporting survivors, policy makers, community groups to raise awareness around domestic abuse stalking. *We intend to take our research forward through the continued coordination of the Kirklees stalking research, prevention and practice and working with wider strategic groups in the district of Kirklees to support implementation of recommendations. We will also support local/regional policy change via identifying new opportunities for further collaborative research with existing and new partners. *We will make our findings available to the wider academic and practitioner community through publication in academic journals , we have begun to write two articles and will submit for publication. We will also share knowledge generated through open access accessible summary briefings aimed at practitioners and the general public. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Our findings have been and continue to be used to shape policy and practice on stalking in the district of Kirklees and more widely across West Yorkshire. Examples of this include; Data from literature review and influencer meetings were used by Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership in police training sessions about domestic violence and abuse. Specifically about cyber stalking techniques used by stalkers in Kirklees. "We are hear" stalking lived experience voice and advocacy group has been established as a direct outcome from the research, the women who were lived experience research influencers/advisors are members and this group, which has expanded with new members including women who took part in the research as participants and women referred by local domestic abuse services, specifically Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership who host the group. By 10th March 2025 this group has met for just over a year on a monthly basis, has codesigned a lived experience voices report with the principal investigator , taken part in lived experience of VAWG consultation events hosted by the Independent Office of Police Complaints, met with the Lead Officer for the Voices at the DAC, Domestic Abuse Commissioners Office, taken part in CPD for police officers and probation officers, submitted an application for a grant of £10,000 to the Mayor of West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support therapeutic/well being and voice activities during 2025 (decision to be announced 17th March 2025). Same was used in multi agency 16 days of Action training "Ten years on stalking in Kirklees" 99% of participants felt they had a better understanding of Domestic stalking and support services available in Kirklees. Third Sector Kirklees have hosted a Stalking learning day for third sector organisations across Kirklees in February 2025, based on our research findings. They have been used to inform an animation which is now publicly available whilst this is still being promoted locally and nationally we are aware this has been used by training sessions for VAWG services staff, police officers and at local colleges. They have been used to inform changes in police policy and practice in Kirklees. NB They will be used at a police CPD event for officers from across West Yorkshire 25th April 2025 at which lived experience influencers will be involved in delivering training. They have been used to inform practice in Yorkshire and Humber Probation Service who have set up a scheme to notify survivors of stalking whose perpetrators are serving less than 12 months. The Stalking research, prevention and practice hub continued to meet throughout 2024 and does so into 2025t bringing agencies from across Kirklees and West Yorkshire together to focus on improving practice and policy response to stalking and enable exchange between researchers and practitoners. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Annual Needs Assessment - stalking addition |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Awareness raising amongst professionals: stalking and support services |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | The independent stalking and advocacy service reported a steady flow of referrals from services and individuals Kirklees, relatively high for a district of it's population size. In evaluation feedback from a training session with 81 professionals found that 99% felt they had a better understanding of Domestic stalking. 100% of participants felt more confident in responding to a case of Domestic stalking and know who to approach/contact for further support. Feedback comments from participants included; 'This was a really useful session and would recommend to other professionals.' 'Really beneficial and gave some insightful information that I can use in my day-to-day practice.' 'It is encouraging to know what support is now available for victims of stalking.' |
| Description | Changes made to policing policy and practice in Kirklees |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Stalking is now a formal priority for Kirklees District, West Yorkshire Police. A role has been created which acts as a link between the domestic abuse team and neighbourhood team to reduce the chances of neighbourhood officers missing stalking. They are currently going through a series of training for all frontline officers, readdressing, reinforcing the difference between stalking and harassment, outlining Stalking Protection Orders, the stalking coordination unit. Investigative policy has been changes in terms of who investigates stalking cases, they have to go through a Detective Sergeant to make sure that all lines of inquiry have been completed. Kirklees are currently considering appointing a stalking coordinator at district level, so their would be more resource to train and offer guidance and support to officers, have oversight of the investigation of stalking cases and to promote best practice. |
| Description | Lived experience influence group |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | There is now a peer support and voice group of women of lived experience of stalking in Kirklees. Members in feedback have described how they benefit from having a voice in research and speaking to others about their experiences of stalking; "I feel I can speak about my experience and people can understand", "I am some years on from being stalked and I am able help with this research, it's important as people still don't understand stalking and it's impacts. I feel I can now help other women who have been through similar". |
| Description | Voices Heard Group |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Policy makers and practitioners in the region now have a dedicated lived experience of stalking voice group to whom they can go for advice around policy and practice. Members of the group contributed to the training of 70 Probation officers who work across West Yorkshire who will deliver a notification and support scheme for victims of stalking whose perpetrator has served less than twelve months. They reported they now had increased awareness about the needs of survivors and felt more confidence in delivering a sensitive and needs responsive service. |
| Description | Impact Accelerator Account ESRC 56 - What is currently available and what works in stalker treatment and rehabilitation? A gap analysis and scoping exercise for UK police and allied practitioners |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Huddersfield |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Title | Stalking Qualitive data set: women lived experience of stalking and police officers |
| Description | Qualitative data set of N=18 interviews with women of lived experience of stalking and N=18 police officers exploring the policing of stalking in Kirklees. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None to date I am liaising with our data management people to establish ways of making this available asap. |
| Description | KDACET-Kirklees |
| Organisation | Kirklees Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The PI has established and Chaired a Stalking Research, Prevention and Practice Hub supported by the Co-I and researcher this is attended by representatives from Kirklees Council and provides a specific focus on stalking to enhance partnership work around domestic violence and abuse taking place across the council and Kirklees. The PI and Co-I have participated in awareness raising and training events around stalking organised by Kirklees Domestic Abuse Community Engagement Team (KDACET), a specialist team within Kirkless Council who provide advice and build partnership responses to DVA. |
| Collaborator Contribution | KDACET have provided contacts to the researchers, made introductions to organisations and networks, organised online and in person training and events specifically on stalking to raise awareness amongst professionals and the public in Kirklees. Promoted the research in all their networks including amongst minoritized communities. The KDACET consultant representative on the hub is now co vice Chair of the Stalking Research, Prevention and Practice hub to support sustainability and alignment with wider council multi-agency work around VAWG. NB KDACET's funding was not renewed after November 2023, Kirklees Council continued to partner via the Domestic Abuse Team and the KDACET consultant remains on the hub in their role as Coordinator of the multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference. |
| Impact | As part of Kirklees council '16 days of action' in support of the national White Ribbon Campaign and ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) KDACET in consultation with the PI organised a webinair entitled 'Ten years on: Stalking in Kirklees, Policing, and support for survivors' 30th November 2022. West Yorkshire Police and Victim Support also partnered in this event. Over 100 professionals attended. KDACET consultant appointed Co Vice Chair of stalking research, prevention and practice hub January 2023 to support sustainability of multi agency partnership group. KDACET showcase and networking event bringing together over 50 third sector, statutory and community organisations (23rd February 2023), PI presenting and promoting the action research to all and stalking awareness information (addressing stalking myths). |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | West Yorkshire Police |
| Organisation | West Yorkshire Police |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have established the stalking research, prevention and practice hub and facilitated police involvement. The PI as participated in Violence Against Women and Girls Independent scrutiny panels, chaired by Kirklees District VAWG lead. The group reviews a domestic abuse case, having site of body worn camera Provided lived experience voice and perspective on police practice via the lived experience influencer group. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided representation at the Stalking Research, Prevention and Practice Hub from the district senior leadership team in Kirklees and also the force wide newly formed Stalking Coordination Unit and the force strategic NPCC lead for stalking so findings could inform policy. Provided police data on stalking. Enabled access to and promoted officer participation in research interviews amongst Kirklees Officers. |
| Impact | Joint stalking awareness sessions have been presented to police officers and other partners. West Yorkshire Police have had access to lived experience advice to inform changes to the policing of stalking that are being made.. Kirklees District have made stalking a priority and made various changes to policing procedure in light of research findings for example of they have changed who investigates, so department patrol officers will not be able to write them off at first submission. Are providing a series of training to all officers across the district |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Awareness raising and training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 81 professionals attended a training event "Ten years on stalking in Kirklees: policing and support for victims" organised by KDACET a multi agecny event with presentations from the research team, Victim Support, West Yorkshire Police. 99% of participants felt they had a better understanding of Domestic stalking, 100% of participants felt more confident in responding to a case of Domestic stalking and know who to approach/contact for further support. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Established a Stalking Research, Prevention and Practice Hub |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | • Facilitate the expansion of partnership working around stalking and disseminate best practice. The hub aims to *Act as a partnership network through which knowledge generated by the action research project, and work around stalking being carried out by partners/members, can be shared across Kirklees and more widely across West Yorkshire and nationally. * Link in with and add value to established multi-agency and community networks that research partners, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, Safer Kirklees, Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership and other members are active within. *Identify gaps in support for stalking victims in Kirklees. * Shape policy and practice in Kirklees, bringing stalking from the margins to the centre in VAWG and other policy and practice in Kirklees The group has also acted as an advisory group for the action research project. The group have collaborated to provide joint training events and have planned a number of collaborative partnership stalking awareness raising events for during National Stalking Awareness Week 2023 and are currently planning for 24th April 2024. The members have been key in promoting the specialist ISAC stalking service for West Yorkshire established in October 2022 in Kirklees, delivered by Victim Support who have been active members of the hub, they report that "multi agency responses to stalking in Kirklees are good and this in large part due to the Stalking research, prevention and practice hub. This is the only dedicated multi agency group focused on stalking in West Yorkshire. Whilst the research project ended in early December 2023 the members unanimously decided to continue to meet and did meet in February 2024 with future dates in the diary, the PI continues to coordinate the group. The group has agreed to review it's terms of reference at it's next meeting in April 2024 and wants to refresh these to include monitoring the implementation of recommendations from the action research and to have an advisory role in relation to the new impact acceleration funded project which will commence in March 2024 lead by Co-investigator on this Prof Jason Roach. This project responds to one of the gaps identified in the project, i.e. that there are no specialist prevention and treatment programs/interventions for stalkers in West Yorkshire yet increasingly people are being convicted and stalking protection orders put in place. Various members have made changes to their policies and practice as a result of their participation for example West Yorkshire Police Kirklees District when initial result were being reported regarding women's experiences of policing the Superintendent Detective Superintendent allocated one of his Team to be a stalking link between the Domestic Abuse team and neighbourhood police teams as stalking awareness was missing in the neighbourhood teams. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| Description | Findings share event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | bbbbbbb |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2023/november/ten-years-on-stalking-research-project/ |
| Description | International Women's Day March 8th 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The PI and a member of the lived experience "influencers" group were presenters as part of a VAWG focused webinar to mark international women's day 2024, this was organised by Change Grow Live Kirklees the drug and alcohol service for Kirklees, 50 members of their staff attended and 40 external people members of the public form CGL's community networks. There were questions from some professionals present about how they could improve their response to stalking and pledges to name stalking champions. The presenters were asked to do training with members of the Safe Space initiative in Kirklees this involves a range of public spaces such as shops, libraries, cafes, leisure centres the university campus whose staff receive training regarding violence against women and girls and offer a safe space. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Kirklees District West Yorkshire Police Independent Advisory Group - Violence Against Women and Girls |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Principal Investigator was invited to attend the VAWG independent advisory group and attended monthly throughout 2023 and continues to in 2024. Throughout the year a range of professionals and lived experience community members have attended. They have worked together to consider domestic abuse and stalking cases have also been considered, reviewing crime logs and body worn camera. the stalking research has been on the agenda throughout. Learning from the member comments are used to direct police practice, procedures, inform police training and in some cases directly informing actions in specific cases. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | Membership of VAWG Strategic Group Kirklees |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The PI was invited to be a member of and attend Kirklees Council VAWG network which aims to develop a coordinated response to VAWG in the district over 25 organisations are members, she has updated on the research which has promoted discussion about stalking and how agencies can enhance their provision. This is coordinated by Kirklees Council. Through this group she has been trained as a Chair for the district Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference )MARAC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | National Stalking Awareness Week - Market place event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | To mark national stalking awareness week (NSAW) the PI with the Head of Student Services at the University of Huddersfield organised a market place stalking awareness event in student central, the hub for students. This was the first time the University had marked NSAW and this was supported by the stalking hub. Many of the organisational members of the hub were represented (Victim support independent stalking service, Kirklees Rape and Sexual Assault Centre, Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership, CGL (drug and alcohol service) The women's Centre Kirklees, Safe Spaces, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership and KDACET, Kirklees Council) at the market place event doing outreach to promote their services and specifically support around stalking to students. The PI and all agencies present also used this as an opportunity to engage students, sharing info leaflets about stalking and the QR code for the young persons stalking awareness in Kirklees survey, encouraging students to take part. Approx 40 students asked questions about stalking and 3 sought support. 4 students sought information about volunteering. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2023/april/national-stalking-awareness-week-support/#:~:text=Agencies%20w... |
| Description | Show case event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I attended and presented at a showcase event hosted by Kirklees Domestic Abuse and Community Engagement Team (Kirklees Council) about the research encouraging participation in the research and raise awareness about stalking. The event aimed to raise awareness about domestic violence and abuse and services in Kirklees. Professionals, policy makers and the general public were present. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Stalking awareness day for Third Sector Kirklees |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | 72 people from third sector organisations attended this included a number of managers who reported they would introduce stalking policies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Ten years on stalking in Kirklees Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We have constructed web pages specifically about the action research project and stalking, to raise awareness about the research, stalking and support services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/ssi/stalkingkirklees/ |
| Description | Training for West Yorkshire Probation Officers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 70 West Yorkshire Probation Officers attended a half day training on stalking in Kirklees with a focus on the impact of stalking on survivors and the type of responses women of lived experience want from professionals offering support. This was delivered by women of lived experience of stalking who took part in the research and the PI. The Senior Probation Manager who coordinated this training session and invited the research team reported that the officers felt more informed about the needs of stalking survivors and more confident about how to support. The team were invited to deliver this training because the service through it's victim support officers will in March 2024 commence a scheme liaising with survivors whose stalkers serve a prison term of less than 12 months. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Voices Heard: lived experience and advocacy group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 23rd November 2023 as part of the findings knowledge share event a workshop was held focused on "Lived experience of stalking", this was facilitated by Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership and two of the lived experience "influencers" and advisors. It was attended by women of lived experience of stalking. Out of the discussions the women present declared that they wanted to continue and build on the peer lived experience of stalking group who had advised during the project. They wanted to form a lived experience voice and advocacy group, advocating for further improved responses to stalking in Kirklees and more widely in West Yorkshire. The group meet in early March 2024 in a venue provided by Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership and agreed their terms of reference. They want to further share the findings from the action research project and advocate around the recommendations. They have identified several regional networks they want to be represented within and creative arts projects they would like to bring to fruition. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |