Why is stalking seen as a joke?

A couple of years back, I wrote a blog post for our website about how stalking was being used as a ‘buzz word’ in articles and for cards. Seemingly, things haven’t changed in the years that have passed, and I am so disappointed to read posts on social media joking about this, rather than realising what a heinous crime it is, and how its trivialising something that affects so many.??

Recently, I saw a post on Instagram from 9gag, making out that stalking is a hobby and something that is funny (https://www.instagram.com/p/CyI4OgyRHO7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) .

You also have things like this card Funny Love Card Creepy Stalker I Know That You're - Etsy UK which are available for sale on Etsy.?

When 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men experience stalking in their lifetime, and when 91% of victims have reported suffering from mental health problems following their experience of being stalked (Download.ashx (suzylamplugh.org)), you have to wonder why organisations are still treating it as a joke.?

It is hard enough for a victim to get people to recognise what they are experiencing, and to get the police and the Criminal Justice System to understand what stalking is, so when people are trivialising it, it is adding to the perception that it's not a real crime. There were an estimated 1.5 million victims of stalking in England and Wales in 2019-2020, but when you look at conviction rates, only 1,558 perpetrators were convicted with only 304 given a custodial sentence. This is reinforcing the feeling that people do not take stalking seriously, and more needs to be done to recognise this as a crime.???

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If you, or someone you know, is being stalked, contact the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 or via the online form National Stalking Helpline Enquiry Form | Suzy Lamplugh Trust. The advocates are here to offer you advice and support. ?

#StalkingAwareness #RightToBeSafe