We had a very informative and interesting talk this month from Hamish Brown MBE.
Hamish retired in 2004 as a Detective Inspector at New Scotland Yard after over 30 years with the Metropolitan Police. He is the author of the Home Office publication ‘Stalking and other forms of harassment, an investigator’s guide’ and is considered the United Kingdom’s acknowledged authority on the subject.
Using details of historic Police cases and investigation anecdotes, Hamish explained what stalking is, or can be, with emphasis on the psychological effect stalking can have on its victims.
We learnt what lengths stalkers will go to in order to cause fear, distress and anxiety to their victims and how stalking legislation made these types of behaviours a criminal office under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
Hamish gave details of a case that he investigated prior to the stalking legislation being in force and how the prosecution had to be taken forward via a charge of Grievous Bodily Harm, due to the severe psychological injury suffered as a result of the stalking trauma.
The effects of stalking should never be underestimated. Stalking can cause vast changes in a person’s daily life (although the victim may see them as an accumulation of only small changes) as well as causing the fear and anxiety that the stalker intends.
Although the support for victims of stalking may still vary across Police Forces countrywide, we left this month’s meeting with a feeling of ongoing progress in this area. As a WI, we are now more aware of what constitutes stalking and how we could help ourselves and others who find themselves in that type of situation.
Anyone who needs help or advice can contact the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, to whom Hamish has kindly donated his speaker’s fee or call the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.
