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Stalking law strengthened in Lords, but ‘not enough’

POLICE will be given extra powers and training to better protect stalking victims under new measures approved by the House of Lords yesterday.

The Stalking Protection Order Bill, which has cross-party support already approved by Commons, aims to address holes in the current legislation and ensure that officers are better equipped to handle issues.

Bringing the move forward, Conservative Baroness Bertin told the House: “The horrifying truth is that one in five women and nearly one in 10 men will be victims of stalking behaviour in their adult lifetime.”

Two new stalking offences were introduced in 2012, but a public consultation in December 2015 found that victims needed more immediate protection than available.

Labour Baroness Royall of Blaisdon said that she supported the Bill, but did not think it went far enough.  

Ms Royall said she feared that the police could turn to using orders instead of pushing for convictions. This is because currently restraining orders were not being enforced adequately due to a lack of resources.

She repeated calls for a register to disclose perpetrators and for a culture change to end victim blaming.

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