National Stalking Awareness Week 2021 focused on the effects of the pandemic upon stalkers and their victims. Lockdown has seen many stalkers change their behaviour: in particular there has been a big increase in cyberstalking. Life has become even more difficult for many victims.
By identifying and highlighting these changes, many of which are likely to be long-term, and by sharing best practice in dealing with them, NSAW 2021 aimed to improve the improve the response of statutory and frontline services as well as that of the criminal justice system going forward.
Events during NSAW 2021
The Alice Ruggles Trust, along with other members of the National Stalking Consortium, organised a range of campaigns and events during NSAW 2021, including:
- Dynamics between the stalker and the victim. An international conference and summit organised by Action Against Stalking.
- Unmasking stalking: a changing landscape. A mini-conference organised by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
- Hidden homicides among young people. The first in a new monthly lecture series organised by the Alice Ruggles Trust.
Our own events during NSAW 2021
For the Alice Ruggles Trust it was a busy week. As well as carrying out a range of press, radio and TV interviews:
- we launched an updated and extended version of the Relationship safety resource for schools;
- we launched SAfEE, two new short courses providing qualifications on stalking awareness for professionals and aspiring professionals working with young people;
- we launched a new monthly lunchtime lecture series on Stalking, Abuse and Safety for Young People with a talk by Professor Jane Monckton-Smith on “Hidden homicides among young people”;
- and we released on social media three videos created by students at Pauline Quirk Academy, Amersham focusing on the myths and realities of stalking:
#NSAW2021 #UnmaskingStalking