Helpline for stalking victims set to launch

The first dedicated helpline for stalking victims in the UK will be launched later today. The service, part-funded by the Home Office, has been developed by anti-stalking charities in conjunction with the police. It will have one phone number for callers, which will be released at the launch, and there will be a single point of contact in police forces. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust , which worked with the Network for Surviving Stalking and Protection Against Stalking to set up the helpline, said research showed that stalking affected around 1.5m people in the UK every year, and was on the increase. Campaigners believe the issue is under-reported because victims fear they will not be taken seriously. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust said a 2009 survey of stalking victims carried out by a chartered forensic psychologist, Dr Lorraine Sheridan, in conjunction with Network for Surviving Stalking, found 77% of victims only reported the situation after 100 incidents had taken place.