National Stalking Awareness Week 2011 – what can YOU do?

Published by Press Office for Safety Net Associates Limited in Housing and also in Bill Payments, Central Government, Communities, Education, Health, Local Government

This week sees the first ever National Stalking Awareness Week, launched this morning at Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) by the three leading stalking charities - Protection Against Stalking, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Network for Surviving Stalking in partnership with ACPO and the Home Office. 

Stalking affects more than a million people in the UK every year (British Crime Survey 2009/10). It can lead to rape and murder. It can lead to victims taking their own lives, but in every case it steals lives.
 
Stalking is not a 'one-off' crime. It is a series of incidents which, when taken in isolation, can appear trivial but when put together become far more sinister.

Due to the nature of stalking, many agencies, organisations and individuals are already in a position to combat this wide reaching problem. By fully understanding and recognising the warning signs, by ensuring that each incident is dealt with correctly and by making full use of the tools available the impact of stalking on its victims can be reduced.

The National Stalking Training Academy was recently launched with the backing of the Home Secretary to do just this.  It brings together some of the world’s experts in the field to help better understand this devastating crime and help train those trying to tackle it. 

Refering to the new academy, Home Secretary Theresa May said:

"Stalking is a deeply disturbing crime with many victims living in fear for years - this has to stop... We welcome the new training programme which will help improve understanding of stalking and most importantly ensure that all agencies treat it as a serious issue."

The National Stalking Training Academy is a partnership between The Network for Surviving Stalking and The Safety Net Associates Group it brings together an expert team of advisors and consultants with years of expertise in this field - from the areas of law, psychiatry and victims themselves, to offer a comprehensive training programme for practitioners and organisations from ANY background.

The first offering from the National Stalking Training Academy is a series of one day training courses, being delivered at 24 venues across the UK, with the option of "in house" delivery to any agency, organisation or partnership.

The one day course “Understanding and Responding To Stalking” is designed to provide an overview of stalking to agencies, organisations or individuals who deal with or have a duty of care to those who are either affected by or are at risk from stalking.

Agencies, organisations and individuals who have either registered already or would l benefit from attending this training course include:

- Police
- Housing Providers
- Universities & Colleges
- Schools
- Security and Close Protection
- Local Authorities
- The CPS
- The Courts
- Victim services
- The media & entertainments industry
- Retail and commerce sectors
- NHS /PCT
- Probation and Prisons services
- Social Services

Course Content

What is stalking?
- Definitions of stalking
- Background/History
- Stalking, Bullying & Harassment
- What constitutes stalking
- Direct/Indirect Stalking
- Cyberstalking
- The four different categories/behaviours of stalking
- What stalking can lead to
- High media profile cases
- Case studies

Who is affected by stalking?
- Who is at risk from stalking
- Victim Profile (everyone is a potential victim)
- The ripple effect
- The impact of Stalking
- The needs of the victim 
 
What is a stalker?
- What leads to stalking
- The four stalker types
- Stalker profiles/behaviour 
 
What can be done about stalking
- Legislation and Guidance (includes; PH act 1997, Secondary legislation, ACPO/NPIA Guidance, CPS Guidance & NSS Guidance)
- Assessing and managing risk
- The role of statutory agencies
- Duty of care
- International approaches
- Available support agencies/initiatives/resources
- Local action and initiatives

Dates and Venues

Aberdeen - 25th January 2012
Belfast - 16th November 2011
Birmingham - 15th June 2011
Brighton - 24th November 2011
Cambridge - 14th September 2011
Cardiff - 9th November 2011
Carlisle - 2nd November 2011
Dundee - 5th October 2011
Edinburgh - 12th October 2011
Exeter - 18th January 2012
Falmouth - 23rd November 2011
Glasgow - 6th July 2011
Inverness - 14th December 2011
Leeds - 11th January 2012
Liverpool - 6th June 2011
London - 25th May 2011
Manchester - 29th June 2011
Middlesbrough - 7th December 2011
Newcastle - 13th July 2011
Norwich - 22nd June 2011
Nottingham - 21st September 2011
Oxford - 28th September 2011
Southampton - 19th October 2011
Wrexham - 7th September 2011

Cost

The cost to attend this one day training course at any of the 24 venues in the open programme is now available at the introductory price of just £150 per delegate.

This training course can also be delivered "in-house" to your organisation, network or partnership at the rate of just £1,500 per day(maximum of 30 delegates).

In order to keep the cost of this training for our delegates to a minimum, for open programme events lunch is not provided, tea, coffee and full training materials will be provided at no extra cost.

For details about how you can either attend at one of the 24 venues across the country or arrange “In House” delivery please visit: www.cspacademy.ac.uk/NationalStalkingTrainingAcademy-Events.htm call 0845 299 7144 or email learning@cspacademy.ac.uk

Speaking at the launch of the National stalking Training Academy in March 2011:

ACPO stalking lead Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, said:
"We are all too aware that the experience of being stalked can destroy the lives of victims. The training academy will play a vital role whilst we continue to improve the response and understanding of this crime."

Psychiatrist Dr Lorraine Sheridan, said:
"For the first time, the very best experts from all the relevant disciplines have been gathered together to provide something that we have needed for many years. Stalking is little understood but suffered by many and this training is essential for all agencies involved in confronting this multi faceted crime."

Dr David James, Senior Psychiatrist and founder of  the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, said:
"The most important current issue in combating stalking is the education of all professionals in the criminal justice and health sectors about the harm it causes and the importance of prompt intervention, prosecution and treatment. Any initiative which fosters progress in this direction is to be welcomed."

Alexis Bowater, Chief Executive of the Network for Surviving Stalking said:
“Training is absolutely vital to understanding and tackling this horrific crime. Stalking needs to be taken more seriously and early intervention is the key. We are delighted to be working with The Safety Net Associates Group to provide a comprehensive programme, open to everyone.”

Trevor Kennett, Group Chief Executive of The Safety Net Associates Group said:
 "We are pleased to welcome this initiative to the CSP Academy. Our goal in all of the fields we operate is to professionalise the individuals via structured education, training and advice, made accessible to all. We believe The National Stalking Training Academy has brought together the most comprehensive group of experts in this field and we are proud to be a part of it."

For more information about the National Stalking Training Academy please visit www.cspacademy.ac.uk/NationalStalkingTrainingAcademy.htm call 0845 299 7144 or email learning@cspacademy.ac.uk