10,000 signatures reached
To: Minister for Justice, Department of Justice
Legislation for stalking in Ireland NOW!
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At present in Ireland, there is no law that defines stalking as a crime. We want to change that. We are calling on the government to urgently enact clear and concise stalking legislation in Ireland.
Why is this important?
On the rare occasion that stalking is prosecuted in Ireland, it is prosecuted under harassment laws. The terms ‘stalking’ and ‘harassment’ are sometimes used interchangeably, but they can be significantly different.
Harassment is unwanted behaviour from someone else that makes you feel distressed, humiliated or threatened. Stalking, however, is more intense, sinister and distressing. Stalking is a pattern of fixated, obsessive behaviour which is repeated, persistent and intrusive. It causes fear of violence or engenders alarm and distress in the victim. Victims of stalking are often at risk of violence from their stalker.
The Law Reform Commission has recommended that stalking be defined as a separate crime to harassment. In the UK, when stalking was made a crime there was an increase in prosecutions - meaning it was necessary and overdue.
We urgently need the Minister for Justice to act and legislate to make stalking a crime in Ireland.
This petition was set up by Stalking Ireland, a campaign started by Eve McDowell and Una Ring. Eve and Una are using their experiences of stalking to change the law and better support victims of stalking in Ireland.
This petition is supported by Sexual Violence Centre Cork.