Follow along with the hashtag #stalkingwebinar to learn more https://twitter.com/Stalking_ie/status/1390362544997638146

#stalkingwebinar first up is Una Ring who was the victim of stalking from an ex colleague who started making unwanted advances after he stopped working with her. The messages were a mixture of concern and anger which gave her anxiety

#stalkingwebinar Una describes the sense of unease and speaking to the gardai who suggested this was a grey area. The attacks escalated to damaging her car and her house with paint. He was making 4 hour round trips

#stalkingwebinar a letter was put through her door. Una was advised to get CCTV and the garda advised to seal her letterbox in case petrol was poured in, which was terrifying

#stalkingwebinar Una's stalker was caught on the CCTV posting the letter, and the garda agreed to sit outside her house each night. He came back and was arrested. He had a crowbar, rope, duck tape, a dildo, and a lock picking kit with him

#stalkingwebinar Una says she got to the point where she felt she had to get a tattoo with her name on it in case he kidnapped her, so she could be identified. She cleaned the house each night so that the crime scene investigators could take uncluttered photos

#stalkingwebinar Una had to convince to court not to give him bail. She had to pass by in him court, with six inches between them.

#stalkingwebinar Una states he plead guilty and admitted what he was going to do, which involved rape. Una states you never think something like this would never happen to you, and impacts the whole family

#stalkingwebinar Una's stalker was sentenced to 7 years, reduced to 5, and will be out in three

#stalkingwebinar next up is Eve, who told her story on a recent @glowwestpodcast episode (ep 71). She was stalked by an ex colleague who began following her around town and hanging out outside her workplace

#stalkingwebinar Eve states her stalker tried getting into her house when she was in it, but luckily it was locked. Her housemate looked out and he was in the bushes outside her window with all his hair shaved off. She reported it to the gardai

#stalkingwebinar Eve had stayed up all night, and woke up her housemate as she went to the bathroom around 7am. They went back to the room and her housemate woke up and saw the stalker in the room. He attacked her with a hammer and the stalker escaped

#stalkingwebinar he had dropped a knife and viagra on the balcony which added an extra chilling edge to the incident

#stalkingwebinar Eve outlines how traumatising the court process is for victims (victims of domestic violence also report this). There is no consideration for victims

#stalkingwebinar next up is Declan Daly who will talk about the legal aspects and how to recognise harassment

#stalkingwebinar Declan notes that harassment is considered to be coercive control and emotional emotion, and there doesn't need to be physical violence.

#stalkingwebinar Declan notes that the pattern is critical to note as this informs a conviction. So look for unwanted communication, sending gifts, assault, unwanted advances, unwanted contact. It is obsessive behaviour

#stalkingwebinar Declan outlines out to identify this behaviour: are you afraid? Is the person close by without any reason? Is your property being damaged? Are drugs and alcohol a factor? Go to Gardai and report it to keep a record

#stalkingwebinar Declan advises not to confront, don't respond, don't communicate, don't agree to any meetings, don't allow into your home. Do report to gardai, bring your phone with you, let people know where you are going. Check your phone networks policy on unwanted calls

#stalkingwebinar Declan says keep screenshots, print copies of emails, screenshot any Snapchat as it comes in beforehand it disappears. This allows the gardai to build a case with lots of evidence and it highlights the pattern

#stalkingwebinar Declan says ask neighbours to keep an eye for any suspicious behaviour or callers, and this can also be used in court

#stalkingwebinar Declan asks to report early so that preventative measures can be put in place. Record and log everything, no matter how small

#stalkingwebinar Declan say the impact of stalking is fear, anxiety, shame, impact on lifestyle. The profile of a stalker is hard to get as there can be many types, but can be exes, someone who has a controlling nature, not able to handle rejection, and is compulsive, gaslights,

#stalkingwebinar advice is to make sure you get the gardai details. If the gardai don't take you seriously, take it higher to a sergeant or ask for support from @SVCCork or a domestic violence refuge who can give advice

#stalkingwebinar next up is Rebecca to talk about law reform and her research on this

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca states that currently stalking is considered harassment in the eyes of the law, it's not a separate law

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca states that the law can impose a restraining order on a person who is stalking another person

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca states this restraining order can be implemented even if the person isn't found guilty

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca says that the elements of stalking can be charged as offences in themselves, and the context is taken into account (hence why making a note of patterns is important)

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca outlines how extreme stalking needs to be considered as stalking, and not just harassment

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca outlines how stalking g is different to harassment or other offences as it is directed personally, and persistence is one of its defining elements

#stalkingwebinar Rebecca outlines how in Scotland, naming this behaviour as stalking has resulted in an increase in prosecutions, and has given victims confidence as they can name their experiences

#stalkingwebinar next up is @cathosx who lectures on law and involved in the @BystanderUcc program (ask your college to implement one, it's great!)

#stalkingwebinar Catherine outlines how harassment comes under the Non fatal offences against the person Act 1997 (you can find this text on the @Stalking_ie website)

#stalkingwebinar Catherine outlines how the law doesn't fully capture the harm that stalking causes, maybe the language causes confusion, or may not know the offence of harassment exists

#stalkingwebinar Catherine notes that stalking is primarily committed by ex partners, but can include colleagues or people who have been rejected as romantic partners. 65% of stalking cases involved partners who committed domestic violence

#stalkingwebinar Catherine notes that as we don't have a specific stalking law, we lose the data on the realities on this so we don't understand the scale of this in #Ireland. This is urgently needed

#stalkingwebinar Catherine notes that fear has gender and racial dimensions, and fear shouldn't be a requirement in new stalking laws.

#stalkingwebinar Catherine suggests that stalking should be recognised as a liberty crime as it impacts the independence of the victim (having to change movements, phone numbers, houses, jobs, etc)

#stalkingwebinar Catherine argues that a new stalking law needs to allow for a restraining order to be granted earlier as they can enable earlier official intervention

#stalkingwebinar Catherine outlines that training of criminal justice personnel is crucial, from judges to gardai

#stalkingwebinar Catherine notes that victims do not always have a good experience of reporting, from not being taken seriously, to been victim blamed. Serious concern here, same as with sexual ro domestic violence