Immediate Release
National Stalking Launch
MP for Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock, Sandra Osborne, was one of the speakers at the launch of National Stalking Awareness Day and the formation of a UK National Stalking Alliance in the Houses of Parliament today (18th April).
Sandra said,
“I see this as a development of the resistance that has been built up over the years to all forms of violence against women. We have had international women’s day for many years, the white ribbon campaign and many others , all of which have played a part on focussing attention nationally and internationally on the scandalous abuse of women throughout the world.
But what has not been so well documented until recently has been stalking by strangers or people who may have had a more tenuous relationship not in a domestic situation.
That is why I very much welcome today and all the work that is ongoing on stalking and why I was pleased to take part in the all party independent inquiry into Stalking Law Reform which appears to have received a positive response from the Government.
As we meet here today a similar event is taking place in the Scottish Parliament which is very appropriate because I am proud to say that Scotland has really led the way on this issue and even prouder to say that the current Scottish campaign began in my constituency although for the worst possible reason. Around three years ago I met a woman called Ann Moulds who suffered a long and tortuous catalogue of stalking from a stranger she could not identify and received zero support from the police when she asked for help. The enactment of the new Scottish legislation the ‘ Offence of Stalking’ in December 2010 marked stalking out as a singular criminal offence This achievement was in no small part down to Ann Moulds. But what we need is for Westminster to follow Scotland’s example and on its own terms bring in a specific law against stalking. I am so pleased that the Home Secretary has made an amendment to the Protection of Freedoms Bill to achieve this in statute by November.”
Editor’s Note:
For many years before she became an MP Sandra worked with Women’s Aid and was formerly chairwoman of Scottish Women’s Aid. She is currently chairperson of East Ayrshire Women’s Aid.
Speech is attached
National Stalking Launch
MP for Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock, Sandra Osborne, was one of the speakers at the launch of National Stalking Awareness Day and the formation of a UK National Stalking Alliance in the Houses of Parliament today (18th April).
Sandra said,
“I see this as a development of the resistance that has been built up over the years to all forms of violence against women. We have had international women’s day for many years, the white ribbon campaign and many others , all of which have played a part on focussing attention nationally and internationally on the scandalous abuse of women throughout the world.
But what has not been so well documented until recently has been stalking by strangers or people who may have had a more tenuous relationship not in a domestic situation.
That is why I very much welcome today and all the work that is ongoing on stalking and why I was pleased to take part in the all party independent inquiry into Stalking Law Reform which appears to have received a positive response from the Government.
As we meet here today a similar event is taking place in the Scottish Parliament which is very appropriate because I am proud to say that Scotland has really led the way on this issue and even prouder to say that the current Scottish campaign began in my constituency although for the worst possible reason. Around three years ago I met a woman called Ann Moulds who suffered a long and tortuous catalogue of stalking from a stranger she could not identify and received zero support from the police when she asked for help. The enactment of the new Scottish legislation the ‘ Offence of Stalking’ in December 2010 marked stalking out as a singular criminal offence This achievement was in no small part down to Ann Moulds. But what we need is for Westminster to follow Scotland’s example and on its own terms bring in a specific law against stalking. I am so pleased that the Home Secretary has made an amendment to the Protection of Freedoms Bill to achieve this in statute by November.”
Editor’s Note:
For many years before she became an MP Sandra worked with Women’s Aid and was formerly chairwoman of Scottish Women’s Aid. She is currently chairperson of East Ayrshire Women’s Aid.
Speech is attached