Suzy Lamplugh Trust

01/10/2026

As prisoners are due to be released today under the Early Release Scheme, serious questions remain about whether the criminal justice system is ready to manage the increased risk, particularly for victims of stalking.

We are extremely disappointed that this is going ahead despite concerns from the sector being raised for months. Frontline services are still waiting for sufficient information about how the scheme will affect the victims they support.

The latest report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation further underscores these concerns, highlighting serious delays in fitting electronic tags and notifications as well as significant pressures across criminal justice agencies.

The report also highlights a stalking case where repeated breaches of an exclusion zone over several weeks saw the offender arrested and released on the same conditions on 3 occasions, before ultimately being sentenced to 36 weeks in prison and given a 3-year restraining order. It found no evidence that the police had conducted risk assessments in the case.

This is deeply concerning and raises fundamental questions about whether restriction zones and electronic monitoring can provide the protection victims of stalking are being led to expect.

It is also deeply disappointing that this is happening in the midst of the recent Labour Party Conference, while we are still asking the same questions and waiting for answers.

The failure to listen, prepare and properly consult further erodes victims’ trust in a system that is meant to keep them safe.

We are calling on Government to:

🔴 Review the exclusion of stalking offences from the Progression Model exemptions and publish the evidence and risk assessment underpinning this decision.

🔴 Require specialist stalking risk assessment and victim safety planning before release in consultation with Independent Stalking Advocates (ISACs/ISAs), including appropriate restrictions and clear arrangements for responding to escalating behaviours and breaches.

🔴 Mandate independent specialist stalking training for all criminal justice professionals, and ensure police, probation and specialist services have the necessary funding and resources to manage risk.

🔴 Ensure victims and frontline services receive timely and case-specific information before release - not after the fact.

Victims should not have to wait for a breach before the system responds.

🔗 https://buff.ly/SPQmEJk

📣 Sign our petition to put stalking back on the government agenda: https://bit.ly/4vJDqxu

Campaigners accuse ministers of trying to grab headlines with announcement before a working system is ready

29/09/2026

📢 As Labour Party Conference takes place this week, we’re asking: what progress has been made on tackling stalking?

1️⃣ We welcome the recent announcements this month, including the launch of the National Taskforce for tackling misogyny, specialist courts for r**e & serious sexual offences, as well as the roll out of enhanced services for victims of domestic abuse.

❗️ But we are deeply disappointed that stalking has not been met with a dedicated announcement or specific support.

Two years ago, Labour’s manifesto recognised that “stalking has not been treated with the seriousness it deserves” and committed to:

🟣 Strengthening the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs); and

🟣 Giving victims the right to know the identity of online stalkers.

So where are we now?

📍 SPOs remain underused. As new VAWG Protection Orders teams are established, stalking must remain a distinct priority with dedicated focus and expertise to ensure SPOs are used effectively and consistently to protect victims.

📍 The right to know guidance is currently being developed across key police forces, meaning victims are still waiting for this commitment to be fully delivered.

📊 Meanwhile, the criminal justice response remains deeply inadequate:

Just 7% of police recorded stalking offences resulted in a charge or summons in the year ending March 2026 — down from 8.7% the previous year. Just 1.2% resulted in a conviction.

This is particularly concerning given our recent report highlighting the link between stalking and homicide, and the fact that it is now two years since the stalking super-complaint committee’s findings, which highlighted serious failures in the police response to stalking.

Two years on, victims need more than recognition. They need action. Stalking must not be left on the margins of the agenda.

📣 Sign our petition to put stalking back on the government agenda: https://buff.ly/YcKuW9M

28/09/2026

Two years on from the stalking super-complaint committee’s report and recommendations: where are we now?

On 27 September 2024, the Super Complaint Committee published its report and 29 recommendations on stalking – evidencing all of our concerns and setting out a clear roadmap for improving how stalking is recorded, investigated, prosecuted and prevented, and how victims are supported.

So, where are we now?

🟢 Stalking law: The Government commissioned Richard Wright KC to review stalking legislation. His report was submitted earlier this year and the Home Office is reviewing the recommendations. Legislative change is still awaited.

🟢 Stalking data: Police-recorded crime data now separates section 2A and 4A stalking, following the recommendation to improve transparency around the scale and nature of stalking.

🟢 Multi-agency stalking guidance: Work is underway on statutory guidance to help police and criminal justice partners identify and use the right protective measures in stalking cases, supporting a more consistent multi-agency approach to victim protection.

But too many of the recommendations remain ongoing, incomplete or without a clear update.

🔴 Victim support: There remain significant differences in access to specialist independent stalking support between police forces.

🔴 Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs): We welcome the introduction of post-conviction and acquittal orders, but important reforms including better implementation of SPOs and the proposed use of Stalking Protection Notices (SPNs) remain under consideration.

🔴 Specialist stalking services: Forces and PCCs have been asked to review the commissioning of specialist stalking services, including independent stalking advocates (ISAs), but there is still no consistent provision across England and Wales.

🔴 Training: While more officers are completing stalking training, concerning gaps remain in the spread and quality of training, including specialist training for stalking SPOCs and subject-matter experts.

🔴 Multi-agency working: MASIPs show what can be achieved through coordinated responses, but this approach is still far from widespread.

🔴 Risk assessment: We are still awaiting the publication of the Home Office's commissioned research into stalking risk assessments, leaving significant variation in how risk is identified and managed.

🔴 Crime recording: Recommendations to improve how stalking is recorded and identified remain outstanding, with some forces continuing to rely on interim solutions.

🔴 Data and transparency: Some recommendations around the publication of court data, annual police force progress reports and national oversight still require clearer updates or evidence of implementation.

Stalking victims cannot afford for these recommendations to sit on a shelf.

📣 Help us put stalking back on the Government agenda. Sign our petition and call for the outstanding recommendations to be delivered: https://buff.ly/YcKuW9M

👉 Read more: https://buff.ly/93OA7Eu

25/09/2026

We welcome the new policy motion by Liberal Democrat Women on tackling violence against women and girls, including its focus on technology-facilitated abuse and online stalking.

Stalking can have devastating consequences for victims and survivors, and technology can give perpetrators new ways to monitor, harass, intimidate and control.

We particularly welcome proposals to strengthen police powers around online stalking and technology-facilitated harassment, alongside greater accountability for technology platforms.

Effective action must put the safety of victims and survivors at its heart, ensure perpetrators are held accountable, and recognise that abuse which happens online can have very real-world consequences.

We look forward to working with policymakers and partners to ensure that these commitments translate into meaningful protection and support for victims of stalking.

🔗 https://buff.ly/GF6ZiAR

The Liberal Democrats are taking a stand to hold tech companies accountable, equip the police with the right powers, and build a digital world where women and girls can live safely and without fear.

23/09/2026

Are police forces doing everything they can to improve their response to stalking?

Our Victim Focused Reviews (VFRs) help police forces understand what they’re doing well, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen their response to stalking — always keeping the victim’s voice at the heart of the review.

Through expert consultancy, we assess policy and practice, from leadership and risk recognition to investigations and victim support, and work collaboratively to support meaningful change.

40 years on, we’re continuing to call for stalking to be taken seriously and for victims to receive the support they deserve.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

22/09/2026

In this video Dr Kirsty Butcher from the Multi-Agency Stalking Partnership talks about the work happening across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight — where MASIP (the Multi-Agency model) is bringing police, health and victim advocacy services together to protect people faster and hold perpetrators to account.

Forty years ago, Suzy Lamplugh went missing. Since then, stalking has affected millions of men and women, yet the response has too often relied on legal sanctions alone, missing the fixated, obsessive behaviour that drives reoffending.

That's what MASIP was built to change. And that's why, 40 years on, we're still saying that to stop stalking. Enough to stop harassment. Enough to stop abuse.

21/09/2026

Stalking requires a coordinated and multi-agency response.

Multi-Agency Stalking Intervention Programmes (MASIPs) bring together police, criminal justice, health and other relevant partners to address perpetrator behaviour, reduce re-offending and improve support for victims.

Importantly, the NPCC progress report on the recommendations of the super-complaint on stalking highlights that the MASIP model currently stands as the most robustly evaluated model available for a multi-agency response to stalking.

Swipe to learn more about MASIPs and how multi-agency working can help improve responses to stalking.

If you are interested or have any questions, please reach out via [email protected]

17/09/2026

🎥 For people experiencing stalking and harassment, being supported by someone who understands and knows what to do can make a real difference.

Hear from our colleague Steve Lingley on how training plays a vital role in raising awareness and creating safer spaces to reduce violence and aggression.

It builds knowledge, confidence and understanding, thus helping professionals recognise unwanted behaviours and respond effectively.

Find out more about our specialist stalking and harassment training: https://buff.ly/IkFuGVo or contact [email protected]

16/09/2026

The right knowledge can make a real difference when it comes to stalking.

For 40 years, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has been working to improve understanding of stalking and support those affected by it.

Our Independent Stalking Advocacy Training equips professionals with the knowledge and confidence to better understand stalking, navigate police processes and provide appropriate support.

Find out more about our Independent Stalking Advocacy Training on https://buff.ly/QoXPe9c or email us at [email protected]

15/09/2026

🎥 How has our work with policing helped shape the response to stalking?

In this video, Detective Sergeant David Thomason from the Harm Reduction Unit at Cheshire Constabulary reflects on the Trust’s work with policing over the years, including the establishment of the Multi Agency Stalking Intervention Programme (MASIP) for stalking perpetrators, National Stalking Working Group, the introduction of a stalking screening tool, stalking law reform and the development of Lifeline Training.

Our work has been about making sure the voices and experiences of victims remain central to the policing response.

If you’re interested in working with us, please contact us at [email protected]