On April 24, National Stalking Awareness Day 2014, a Working Without Fear campaign will be launched. Organisers, the charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, seek to inform employers and employees about how to deal with the issue of stalking in the workplace.
A guide for employers has been produced detailing why it is important to have a stalking policy in place and how employers can respond appropriately to disclosures of stalking from employees. This document is free to download from the National Stalking Helpline website and can be found here.
Rachel Griffin, Director of Suzy Lamplugh Trust, says: “The issue of stalking in the workplace is far more common than many people think. Research shows that in the UK, one in five women and one in ten men are stalked at some point in their lives (British Crime Survey 2011). Stalkers can be colleagues or clients – and of those stalkers who are not, 50 per cent will still present themselves at the victim’s workplace. This creates risk not only for the victim but also their colleagues or manager who may have to interact with the stalker if they do turn up to the premises.”
Stalking is defined as repeated unwanted contact from one person to another which demonstrates either a fixation or obsession and cause the victim to feel alarm, distress or fear of violence. Stalkers who are not related to the workplace often make contact with the victim there because of ease of access or simply to cause them further distress.
The Working without Fear campaign aims to inform and advise employers as to what they can do to protect and support their employees if they are being stalked.
The campaign will be launched at a Working without Fear Conference in London on Thursday, April 24. Speakers include Rachel Griffin, ACC Garry Shewan of Greater Manchester Police; Laura Richards of Paladin; and Harry Fletcher of NAPO, the trade union for family court and probation staff.
For more information about stalking in the workplace and to access a Guide to Employers, visit the National Stalking Helpline at www.stalkinghelpline.org
Employers can also learn more about the issue by attending the Working Without Fear Conference on April 24.
Email [email protected]
Visit http://www.suzylamplugh.org/stalking/
