Cyber stalking is, in a nutshell, the use of technology to gather personal information, track and monitor.
Examples of some behaviours include using social media to research someone’s movements and/or networks, gaining access to someone’s emails, devices or networks, uploading spyware or malware of some kind, placing a tracker on someone’s car, using equipment to record someone’s conversations. Cyber stalking also includes gaining access to someone’s accounts or devices to delete evidence (for example if someone is keeping a log of harassment on their phone or computer, or if the stalker has sent emails that would count as evidence).
Some cyber stalking behaviours have a threatening and/or vengeful dynamic, for example ‘revenge porn’, doxing and the stalker creating fake profiles as the victim with the intention of damaging their reputation.
Cyber stalking is an area of increasing research and knowledge. Last week the Suzy Lamplugh Trust released results from their recent survey into cyberstalking. Out of the 4,054 British adults polled they found that:
People between the ages of 18 and 34 are significantly more likely to have been stalked online
Where online activity was the sole form of stalking behaviour, only 9.8% of victims reported it to the police.
Over a quarter of victims (28.3%) felt concerned about going out in public and 20.4% reduced their social outings, while 18.6% changed their phone number, one in 10 (9.5%) moved home and 8.7% increased security at home or work.
More findings and information can be found here. The College of Policing response to the findings is here and you can follow Suzy Lamplugh Trust on twitter here.
Whilst we cannot stop cyberstalkers, we can make it harder for them to gain access to, monitor or intercept data. The following is a list of options available to increase online security:
Come up with a handful of aliases you can use to set up accounts and email
Use avatars or profile pictures with images other than you on social media
Search for yourself online from time to time to see what’s available about you
Check out whether data is leaking from any of your social media accounts using mypermissions.com
Select the restricted electoral roll to prevent your personal data being sold to companies such as 192.com
Read privacy statements (they’re boring, but worth it) and go through your account settings every now and again to do a privacy check up
Keep your apps, browsers and programmes up to date with the latest versions (this will be offered automatically), as older versions are more vulnerable to attack
Use different emails for different things. You can easily create a disposable email using mailnull.com
Email is pretty insecure, you can encrypt it yourself or use a service such as hushmail or protonmail
Text messaging is also insecure – Whatsapp is now end-to-end encrypted and Signal is an app that encrypts text messages and phone calls.
Get yourself a password manager – LastPass is fantastic
If there are software or apps you use to stay safe online let us know on Twitter @AuroraNewDawn, Facebook, or in the comments below.
You can find more information out about cyber security at GetSafeOnline.org.
Blog Post – Hampshire Stalking Advocacy Service
Our Independent Stalking Advocacy Service was established in 2013 following the change in the law in 2012. This service is part of the Hampshire Stalking Clinic, a multi-agency forum that meets once a month to discuss the four stalking cases in the county that raise the highest level of concern. The clinic is made up of two senior police officers, the three police single points of contact (SPOC) for stalking across Hampshire, two probation officers, a forensic psychiatrist, a forensic psychologist, a CPS lawyer and Aurora’s independent stalking advocate (ISAC). The clinic’s focus is to assess the risk presented by the stalker, offer advice to involved professionals and offer support to those experiencing stalking.
Alongside working with survivors of stalking and supporting the work of the clinic across Hampshire, our advocate advises professionals working on stalking cases on the safety options available. The service offers support and advice to all genders for all dynamics of stalking.
A day in the life of Aurora’s Stalking Advocacy Service
The coffee is on and the phone rings, it’s an IDVA who is supporting someone whose case has been heard at the stalking clinic. The client is being stalking by an ex-partner, there are bail conditions in place and the stalker is skirting around the boundaries of them. The IDVA and the ISAC are in regular contact about this matter and, as a result of the conversation, the ISAC takes an action to speak with the SPOC for the area to alert her to the ongoing behaviour. On speaking with the SPOC, another case is raised as a concern and the ISAC takes the details of the investigating officer to contact and discuss the case. The officer talks through the case and takes the details of the advocacy service to offer support to the survivor on their next contact.
The advocate checks through her emails to prioritise her work for the rest of the day, there are two new referrals and a request for contact from a social worker. The referrals are entered into the secure database and contact is made with the survivors. The first client is with a police officer and writing their victim personal statement for a court case next month, they would like support through court so they arrange to speak tomorrow morning. The second person is available, they are experiencing stalking from someone they used to work with. The stalking screening tools are completed and there is a medium level of concern but with some escalation in the past week. The contacting behaviours have changed from the stalker setting up fake Facebook profiles to attempt contact to the stalker being at the workplace when the client turns up for work. Log keeping is advised, the client does not want to report to the police at the moment, preferring to see if it can be managed through their employer for the time being. A safety and support plan is agreed and they arrange to meet in a couple of days.
The social worker would like advice on how to proceed with a case where there are concerns about someone making applications to the civil court around the child in order to be in the same room as the client. The client doesn’t want any other services involved at the moment, because it would be too much. The ISAC offers advice on how to increase the support around the client and make the judge aware of the dynamics of stalking in the social care court report.
Over lunch the ISAC meets with a colleague to talk through advice that can be given to clients to increase their online safety. She then heads off to meet with a colleague from the Hampshire Stalking Clinic to discuss an upcoming presentation to police investigators as part of a safeguarding day.
On returning to the office, the ISAC makes sure all urgent queries that came in whilst she was out are answered and makes calls to the clients whose cases will be presented at the stalking clinic later on in the week. Whilst clients are unable to attend the meeting, the ISAC can make sure that their voice and experiences are represented to the professionals there, as this will inform the risk that the stalker presents and what work we can do as a result of the clinic.
If you live in Hampshire and are experiencing stalking, we are available from 9am-5pm throughout Stalking Awareness Week on 02392 479 254. For national enquiries, call the Paladin helpline on 07721757071 and 07769995393 or the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.
Aurora’s Independent Stalking Advocate has an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice and worked for three years as an IDVA before taking on the stalking work. She has completed AVA’s accredited Stella Project training, Safelives’ accredited IDVA training, Paladin’s accredited ISAC training and training in the Stalking Risk Profile, for the assessment and management of stalkers.
Aurora’s Stalking Advocacy Service is funded until April 2017, as part of the Stalking Clinic, by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Aurora New Dawn Launches DVA Cars ™
Aurora New Dawn DVA Cars – Hampshire
Our Aurora New Dawn DVA Cars run every Friday and Saturday night across three areas of Hampshire, the Eastern area (covering Portsmouth, Havant, Waterlooville, and Fareham & Gosport), Southampton and Basingstoke (covering Basingstoke and Andover).
We have also ran other pilots across the wider Hampshire area in response to need and have previously run the service on the Isle of Wight.
The premise is simple and based on research[1] there is a ‘window of opportunity’ when people seek help, and if you offer support at that point, they are more likely to engage with support services and the criminal justice system. This crisis-response service, therefore, engages people quickly, improving their safety and reducing the likelihood of future incidents.
DVA Car Outcomes
This is a partnership project where our staff work alongside the police and attend an incident of domestic abuse to offer independent support to victims and survivors. This is our second round of Big Lottery funding (2018-2021). Prior to this funding, we received three years Big Lottery funding (2015-2018) to deliver the service in the Eastern area only. The project was a success and the Community Fund (Big Lottery) awarded us a further three years funding to expand it across Hampshire. Before the Lottery-funded service we ran a series of pilot projects to ensure we achieved the correct delivery and the best times to run the service.
Through working in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary, Aurora is able to offer specialist, independent support at the time it is needed most, with the project set to support up to 4680 survivors over the next three years.
In 2018 we commissioned an independent report:
“The DVA Cars™ provides an important and innovative service to victims of domestic violence, abuse, stalking, and coercive control. It is a unique and robust approach that has a proven track record and longevity.”
“Aurora and their advocates provide a high level of expertise and knowledge in the areas of DVA, stalking, coercive control, and understanding risk within these complex areas of offending. This supports both victims of DVA and the policing of DVA. In doing so they able to increase the knowledge and understanding of the police that enhances best practice in policing DVA within Hampshire.”
From our 2014 independent report:
“100% of victims agreed to speak with the volunteers. In addition to this, 100% of victims agreed to take information about support services with 50% of these still being engaged with services over a month later. The fact that 50% of the victims had never engaged with services before evidenced the benefit of having an independent, trained specialist with the officer deploying to the address together.”
Victims Voice
We actively seek to obtain feedback from victims and survivors as this is very important to us. Feedback ensures that the service is running in a way that best supports and enables the people we have contact with:
“Was really positive – been dealing with perp abuse for 10 years. First time someone independent came along. If that had happened at the start, would have been likely to take up support.”
“Made me think differently, more positive. Not as intimidating as the police, just listened to me. Gave the support I needed at the time. Didn’t feel that many people listened to me, was good to talk to someone on the outside.”
“Good. I was not expecting them to be there. I just phoned the police to report some abusive text messages and the police came and also bought PSO alarms and then aurora came. It was nice to people to listen to me after six years of this someone was finally listening to me.”
Feedback from Police
Partnership working is an essential part of the DVA Cars service and whilst the service and the advocates are independent, the service could not run with the support from Hampshire Constabulary.
Police feedback is overwhelmingly positive about the service and co-training for both the Aurora staff and the police has been a welcome addition to the partnership:
“Thank you for your support and the ongoing work of your team which is making a real difference, not only to our victims but also increasing the knowledge and skills of our teams.” (PS)
“They were able to outline future processes/support far better than I was able to which gave a better immediate care.” (PC)
“Police can be focused on evidence gathering and procedure, the advocate offers additional support and guidance. The uniform can be a barrier to some people.” (PC)
DVA Cars in Hampshire
DVA Car Case Studies
We asked our DVA car Advocates to tell us about some of their experiences:
Case study one
Some details changed to ensure confidentiality.
I [advocate] came into work on Tuesday morning, and read an email from the R&P officers who attended an incident in the early hours of the morning. The victim (Susie) was 18, and her boyfriend had killed one of her rabbits in front of her, following an argument they’d had over a broken mobile phone. She had then telephoned her sister in Essex, who then called the police.
Susie had been in a relationship with Peter for 5 years, and during this time she had slowly become isolated from her friends and family. They regularly shoplifted to get food to eat. Within a year, she had lost so much weight, she had dropped from a dress size 16 to a size 6. They lived with his mother, who frequently soiled herself, and which Emma was then made to clear up. Both Peter and his mother had mental health and substance abuse problems.
Peter had been arrested and his mother was abroad on holiday, so we knew we had a small window of opportunity to visit Susie. Myself and police safeguarding went to visit Susie.
I phoned the National Refuge Helpline, to look at the availability of refuges in Essex – as this is where her sister lives.
A refuge space was found but unfortunately, Susie wasn’t ready to leave. The refuge kindly said they would call her again tomorrow.
Peter was bailed to not return to the address, and NPT were tasked to do urgent safeguarding follow up the next day.
The next day I telephoned Susie and confirmed that the local NPT had been to visit her. She was ready to leave! Susie’s biggest priorities were getting food for the surviving rabbit, and some clothes.
I popped into Asda to get some provisions for Susie and her rabbit, which I was able to take to her prior to her leaving. Susie was delighted. She appeared much more relaxed, and chatted easily to myself and the PCSO. She planned to visit social services for housing and benefits to get back on track. She really could see a way forward, and that she had a choice to live without fear from violence or abuse. (DVA Car™ Advocate)
Case Study two
“I attended a property with a police officer following a 999 call from a woman trapped in her bathroom, with her partner threatening and shouting outside the bathroom.
When we got there, the partner had left, and the victim (Jane) was in her lounge very upset.
I was with both a male and a female officer, and they had their body-worn cameras on the whole time.
Jane was quite open and honest about her relationship with the alleged perpetrator (AP), and had insight into how wrong his behaviour was, but did not feel strong enough to leave or change.
Jane has a teenage son, and had not previously been in any DVA relationship. She is in her mid-fifties. Jane had been in a relationship with the AP for 3 years.
She kept referring to him as “vile” and told us that she had begun drinking heavily to cope with his emotional abuse, shouting, intimidation, and the derogatory language he used in reference to her. Along with physical threats of violence, and constant phone calls, and messages. She had also lost her job, as he came into the shop where she worked and smashed up the whole shop. He also forced her to steal money out of the till.
Whilst we were with her, she received numerous voicemail messages and texts from him, which we all ignored as we were speaking to her. Her dog was relaxed and happy by her side.
We then asked to listen to these messages, and she played them. The dog instantly stood up and barked when he heard the AP’s voice through the phone. He kept barking and growling aggressively whilst we played a few of the messages.
The male officer had this all on his body-worn. He said “I have never seen a dog react like that”
The AP was arrested, and before knocking on his door, he was heard to be shouting and using foul language – and phone records show it was to her.
This went to court, and he was charged with assault by beating, criminal damage to property, and persistently making use of public communications to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or anxiety. Plus a restraining order valid until May 2020.
The officer I was crewed with felt they would not have got all the information from Jane had I not been there” (DVA Car™ Advocate)
Feedback from a DVA Car™ advocate:
“I think the early engagement stuff is really important, that’s the most important part as well as, for the survivors, having someone there when they’re at their most vulnerable that isn’t the police. Because we’re completely, and I always say that, we’re independent from the police so we’re there as their voice and whatever they need or want that’s our role really, we don’t have an agenda, our agenda is them. So, I think it’s about, firstly, obviously that crisis response and early engagement but I think about having someone there for them that is independent that they sometimes feel freer to talk to because we’re not the police, and they feel safer to be able to disclose. And I think generally we do get more from people than the police will get from them”. (Advocate)
Shonagh Dillon, Chief Executive of Aurora New Dawn, says: “Our vision is to end discrimination against women through offering protection, safety and support. We know that two women are murdered by a current or former partner every week in England and Wales, and that on average a victim will have been abused around 35 times before they call the police. This service gives us a chance to reach out and offer face to face support at times when domestic abuse is most likely to occur, on Friday and Saturday nights. We are very excited about working in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary on this project and incredibly thankful to the Big Lottery Fund for this grant to enable us to support so many survivors.”
[1] Research findings on ‘the window of opportunity’ are numerous but include: Evaluation of Domestic Violence Matters; Dr. Liz Kelly et all 2011 and Home Office Research Study 290 Marianne Hester and Nicole Westmarland, University of Sunderland 2005.
Aurora New Dawn
Speak to your MP about ensuring that DVA Car services are funded in your area. Click here to find your MP
Blog post – Specialist Domestic Abuse Court Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
SDAC blog post:
Our Specialist Domestic Abuse Court Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (SDAC IDVA for short!) works with victims and survivors of domestic abuse whose cases are going through the criminal justice system.
Court cases can take time, and the criminal justice process can be a complex and often incredibly frightening experience for victims of domestic abuse in particular. We know that nationally the conviction rate for domestic abuse cases is around 13%. Many victims and survivors feel unable to continue with the process: as a result of fear, risk, pressure, or a lack of support. Often these fears can be exacerbated by long wait times between charge and trial. As such the attrition rate in domestic abuse cases – the rate at which witnesses drop out of the criminal justice system – is very high.
Portsmouth has what is known as a Specialist Domestic Abuse Court or SDAC. These courts – sometimes called Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (or SDVCs) – exist in various areas across the country to respond to the specific needs of victims of abuse and support them in being able to give their evidence. Rather than being separate buildings, the term SDAC refers to a set of processes and facilities that a court has in place to ensure domestic abuse cases are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and that victims have access to information and support at every stage of the process.
A key component of any SDAC court is the availability of independent, specialist support for the victim, and this is where our Specialist Court Advocate comes in, offering specialist, one-to-one support to anyone whose case is going through court. All the usual elements of an IDVA service are provided, including risk assessment, safety planning, advocacy/liaison with other agencies and emotional support, but with the added component of direct support for the duration of the court case. This will vary depending on the needs of the client but might involve:
Ensuring the client is kept up to date with the status of the case
Ensuring that their safety during the hearing (both on entrance/exit and in the courtroom) is prioritised
Liaising with the police/CPS to make sure that restraining orders are both applied for where required, and robust and detailed enough to effectively protect the victim going forward
Remaining in court until the conclusion of the case (to ensure the client is updated on the outcome as quickly as possible)
Attending sentencing on the client’s behalf
Working with SDAC court partners to ensure the process is kept under continuous review, and to feedback about both good practice or areas for improvement.
The aim of the SDAC court, and the specialist advocate, is to ensure that victims and witnesses are kept central to the process at all times. By offering independent support throughout, the hope is that victims feel supported, safeguarded, and therefore more able to continue their involvement with the court case. The service’s key aim is to contribute to the reduction of the high attrition rate for domestic abuse cases in the city.
Outcomes:
In our most recent analysis of the service, none of the clients who engaged with the SDAC IDVA have withdrawn from the CJS process. Whilst some cases have been discontinued for other reasons, the attrition rates for clients working with the SDAC IDVA remain low. In asking clients for their feedback on the service, 100% of the clients who have completed evaluation forms said that they felt supported at court as a result of working with the SDAC IDVA. 100% reported that they felt their emotional wellbeing had improved as a result of working with the SDAC IDVA, and 80% reported that they felt safer as a direct result of engaging with the service.
Interestingly, we saw early guilty pleas in 71% of the cases involved with the SDAC IDVA in the last reporting quarter. In an early guilty plea, the perpetrator pleads guilty before the trial rather than at the trial itself, which is of particular benefit because it negates the need for victims to attend court and give their evidence. Sometimes defendants will avoid making an early guilty plea in an attempt to ‘wait it out’ hoping that the victim will not attend court. An increase in early guilty pleas may point to a growing recognition, amongst defendants and their representatives, that victims are feeling increasingly confident in continuing with the criminal justice process. We continue to work with our partner agencies, including the police, CPS, witness service, and court staff, to track the impact of the Specialist court, and of the Independent advocate, going forward.
The following is an example, from our Specialist Court Advocate, of the work they undertook at court with a client recently:
Case study from SDAC IDVA:
I meet my client away from the court building, as she has never been to court before, she is understandably very nervous. We are there for a trial as my client’s perpetrator pleaded ‘not guilty’ to an assault against her. We head towards the courts together, where the court staff sign us in as we enter and we are collected by a member of the witness service. We are escorted to a secure area and I reassure my client that we are in a safe space, away from the perpetrator and the public areas of the court. The witness service volunteer explains the court procedure to my client and I reassure my client that a screen is in place for when they give their evidence as they do not want to be seen by him. My client and I have a coffee whilst waiting. The prosecutor then comes and has a chat with my client about what to expect and hands them their statement to read.
I leave my client to read her statement and offer to clarify anything if they find it difficult to read. I encourage my client to read their statement again, or as many times as they like, to make sure they aware of what is written. I then take instructions from my client as to whether or not they would like me to leave with them, once they have given their evidence, or if they would like me to remain in the court to observe the rest of the trial. My client opts for me to stay in the court room to observe the rest of the trial. I reassure my client that a witness service volunteer will escort them into the courtroom, will sit with them behind the screen when they are giving their evidence and will escort them safely out of the building once they have given their evidence.
My client is called to the courtroom to give her evidence. The courtroom is emptied whilst my client is taken in and placed behind the screen. I go into the courtroom and sit in the public gallery at the back. The perpetrator is then brought in and my client gives her evidence. She is then free to go. The courtroom is emptied again whilst my client is taken out of the courtroom, by which time I say goodbye and agree to call them after the trial has ended. The Perpetrator then gives his evidence. The evidence for the prosecution’s case is strong enough to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the perpetrator assaulted my client and the magistrates decide that perpetrator is ‘guilty’. The sentencing hearing is adjourned for 3 weeks, pending a pre-sentence report from Probation and bail conditions remain in place until then. Perpetrator is free to leave and, for the purpose of safety and confidentiality, I leave making sure that it is either before or after the perpetrator has left.
Once out of the court I call my client immediately and relay the outcome. I provide emotional support as my client reflects on their thoughts and feelings. This has been a very emotional time for her. I remind her that she has been incredibly brave in speaking out and we talk through the importance of her taking things easy for the rest of the day. I remind her to call me if she wants to talk further or has any questions. In closing I reassure my client that a restraining order has been applied for, but that bail conditions will remain in place until the sentencing hearing. We agree that I will attend the sentencing hearing without her (she is not required to attend), and that I will update her of the outcome as soon as I have it.
*This project is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the IOW*
Statement from The Board of Trustees
The following statement is from the Board of Trustees, Aurora New Dawn:
The last few days have been extremely difficult for Aurora New Dawn, our CEO and our staff.
We have had to read, and hear, a number of ridiculous and outrageously negative things about the organisation, none of which are true. We find it impossible to comprehend why there appears a campaign to discredit Aurora with, amongst other things, allegations of abuse – totally contrary to our ethos of supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking.
As a registered charity we are open to scrutiny from a number of sources. We wish to make it abundantly clear that we have never and will never misappropriate any monies.
In a climate where organisations and individuals are increasingly reluctant to speak out for fear of the consequences we wish to thank individuals and groups who have supported us. They are too many to mention.
We thank the dedicated and professional women and men who work for us and our volunteers who give so generously of their time, all of whom diligently continue to deliver our services.
The Board of Trustees, Aurora New Dawn
Open Letter to The Portsmouth News on Domestic Violence Cuts
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to an article published in the Portsmouth News (Charity hits out at council’s domestic violence surgeries) concerning the councillor-led domestic abuse surgeries run by cross party members. It may be helpful to review how the critique of the domestic violence surgeries came about – a critique that came not only from Aurora New Dawn but from the UK’s End Violence Against Women Coalition, the UK’s largest coalition of individuals and organisations campaigning for an end to violence against women and girls, which includes Amnesty International, Fawcett Society, Rape Crisis, Refuge and Respect[1].
Following the announcement from councillors that they were planning to cut £180k from local domestic violence services, we began to ask questions of the Leader and other Conservative councillors about how they planned to maintain service provision for victims of domestic violence and their families in Portsmouth. Part of the reason we did this is because Aurora New Dawn aims to act as the voice of victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking in everything that we do – including in our service provision, in our partnerships with police and other services, and in our role as a critical friend to local authorities in the region.
We have received no response from Councillors detailing their plans on how to address the cuts.
Cllr New arranged a meeting with us, cancelled and has not rescheduled. We invited the Leader to discuss how we could help them come up with a sustainable strategic plan to protect victims. We invited all local councillors to come and see our services to gain a better understanding of what they do.
None of the councillors who voted to pass the cuts have responded.
As far as we are aware, and as far as they have publicly announced to date, councillors still have no long term strategic or sustainable plans to continue service provision for victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. Unlike local authorities in Hampshire, Portsmouth City Council made no approach to local services prior to announcing the planned cut to domestic violence services in the city. In Hampshire, a working coalition of councils, the Police and Crime Commissioner and services are now working in partnership to protect service provision, while services in Portsmouth await the plans of Portsmouth councillors, beyond announcements of ‘exciting plans’ on social media.
On the 8th December, Cllr New and other councillors spoke at the budget savings proposal meeting about the domestic violence surgeries they were running in the city. Cllr New appeared to be positioning the surgeries as a replacement for the services that he – as the Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety – was proposing to cut. At one point, he even referred to the surgeries as a service: Anything we can do to raise the awareness to victims of domestic abuse of the help and support possible, is surely the right thing to do…putting our hands in our pockets – and time – to run these services.[2]
It was in this context that Aurora New Dawn and the End Violence Against Women coalition decided to clarify what the surgeries are: for local residents, as well as victims and survivors. We made clear that whilst we applaud awareness-raising on the help available to local victims of domestic violence, we are concerned that the surgeries rely on the exact same service that the councillors are proposing to cut, making the surgeries themselves unsustainable in the long term.
It is particularly discouraging to see Cllr New launch a personal attack on the CEO of a local charity, rather than responding to the concerns of national and local services with decades of experience in protecting, safeguarding and supporting victims of domestic violence. It is baffling for Cllr New to describe me as ‘negative’. Currently the only ‘barrage of negativity’ appears to be coming from councillors as they consistently refuse to talk publicly about their long term plans to protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse, as they ignore the respondents to their own consultation, as well as the 46,000 signatures on a petition against cutting Portsmouth’s domestic violence services.
We would rather be campaigning in partnership with councillors than against them. Indeed, this is the way we work everywhere else in Hampshire and nationally: to alleviate the pressure of austerity on domestic abuse services before it starts, rather than frantically scrabbling to address it after councillors announce cuts.
Finally, Cllr Swan asked in the article: If the people who are complaining are trained, why don’t they help us…Why don’t they step forward and volunteer?
I am already a regular volunteer for the Portsmouth Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Aurora New Dawn that ensures 24-hour service provision to victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. For example, I volunteered along with members of my team to provide 24 hour services for victims over Christmas and New Year, which as councillors will know from their recent training, is a time when incidence of domestic violence increases significantly
Of course, if Cllr Swan, Cllr New and the Leader had responded to our requests to meet, they might know this already.
So, once again, I would like to invite all councillors – across all parties – to meet with us at Aurora New Dawn to discuss how we can all work together to protect services for survivors of domestic abuse that are currently being threatened by the impact of austerity.
Devastating Cuts to Portsmouth Domestic Abuse services
Aurora New Dawn CEO deputation to Portsmouth City Council – Full Budget Meeting 08/12/15
The council budget savings report proposes to cut the specialist in-house domestic abuse service, the Early Intervention Project, from 13 members of staff to 5.
Aurora New Dawn absolutely opposes these cuts, and here are just some of the reasons why:
Portsmouth City Council has a public duty to protect the vulnerable. This duty extends not only to victims whose lives are devastated by domestic abuse every day, but also to thousands of children who deserve lives free of danger and fear.
We believe the process by which these cuts were suggested is flawed, particularly in the failure of the Council to consult with the myriad of organisations whose services intersect with your own. This partnership working ensures that Portsmouth currently offers has 24/7 support to victims in the city.
Aurora provides a DVA cars service out of hours that refers these victims to EIP. This and many projects like it have been endorsed by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership and the city council. It makes no sense not to consult with other service providers and it makes no sense to withdraw the service, which captures hundreds of victims that might not otherwise have accessed help.
This brings me to the serious danger these cuts will create for victims. Since 2011, Portsmouth, to the envy of the rest of Hampshire, have not had a domestic murder, which is a testament to the investment of the council and the voluntary sector in this city, thus far. However, these cuts will mean that the vital work of murder prevention will not occur. I have worked in this sector for over 20 years and I can tell you that without these services victims will be killed.
Of course, in a few years’ time, Councillors can change their minds, realise their mistake, reinvest the money. But you will not be able to restore a murdered mother to her children, a daughter to her parents, a friend to her community. These cuts are literally playing with people’s lives.
In closing I would like to bring your attention to the people protesting outside to these cuts. To the 42k signatures within a week opposing these cuts on a petition – recognise that the eyes of the country are on Portsmouth today.
I challenge councillors to ask their conscience how much opposition from their own constituents they need before they listen to them!
An Open Letter to Spotted Portsmouth
Dear Spotted Portsmouth,
I hadn’t come across your page until yesterday when a colleague introduced me to the ‘unique’ Spotted Portsmouth approach to celebrating our beautiful city. Ironically, as it happens we were travelling back to Portsmouth from a meeting on a national roll-out of training for Stalking Awareness and Cyber Crime at the time.
By now, every one of your page’s followers (and a few thousand more besides) are aware of your post a few days ago, subsequently removed, of a woman whose skirt had ridden up whilst she stood chatting on a night out. The photo, taken from the back, was clearly taken without her knowledge.
It would seem that the human approach – the polite tap on the shoulder and a quiet word to let her know what had happened – had passed one (some?) of your followers by. Instead, out came the smartphone, up went the photo, and so commenced the public shaming, bullying, and vilification of a woman who did nothing other than stand talking to people on a pavement, outside a bar, without realising that her dress wasn’t quite playing along.
What followed was a thread that quickly became a diatribe of sexist and degrading comments about her appearance and her choices, supplemented with the usual sexually violent name-calling: she was branded a “Slut”, and a “Slag”, for example. But this wasn’t a shock to you, because it’s your MO. In fact, you make quite the habit of posting these kinds of pictures on a regular basis – of women and of men, of those who look different, those who don’t fit in with the standards you feel people should be adhering to on any one particular day. You are, it would seem, the self-proclaimed lifestyle police.
Spotted Portsmouth’s Contribution to a Serious Problem
But back to this particular photo and the accompanying comments. In our line of work, this kind of culture is what we deal with on a daily basis. You cannot detach the nature of the comments made on this picture from the attitudes that contribute to the all-consuming emotional distress we see first-hand on a daily basis. When we talk with victims of rape – which we do daily – the first thing they always do is blame themselves. Why? Because society is blaming them too. 26% of people in our society still think a woman is partly or totally responsible for being raped if she was wearing sexy or revealing clothing and 30% of people think a woman is partly or totally responsible if she was drunk.[1] We live in a society where women are constantly criticised – for their appearance, the way they dress, how much they have had to drink, and whether they fit into the narrowly-defined and constantly-changing societal view of ‘acceptable’. Your page, in the posting of this photo and in your general disregard for the wishes and feelings of others, supports and promotes these attitudes. And it’s not just women – anyone is fair game if your history is anything to go by.
Since this post has subsequently been removed, I might have assumed that you agreed with the danger of supporting such comments. Until, that was, up popped another photo – this time of someone else – and so the cycle of shame and bullying resumed. Pictures of people drunk and “embarrassing” themselves are offered up for ridicule by yourself and your supporters. Yesterday numerous comments were left under these posts that clearly justified the actions of ridiculing another for the purposes of entertainment. Your supporters are resolute: if you don’t want photos taken then don’t behave a certain way, don’t embarrass yourself in public, don’t wear this, and for God’s sake don’t drink that much, because if you do then we have the carte blanch to bully the hell out of you with absolutely no regard for the impact.
What is perhaps most alarming about these justifications is that we teach five-year-olds in school that bullying is wrong, that deriding someone because of their actions, appearance, or anything else and ganging up on them is nasty and will hurt their feelings or the feelings of others. Even young children ‘get’ this concept. It is unfortunate that you do not.
But wait, you are just the conduit for the information being shared on your page to 27+ thousand people, so it’s not your fault right? Wrong. At what point do you so completely lose touch with your own humanity that, when this kind of photo crosses your desk, your first thought is to press a button and offer it up to the keyboard warriors of the world for public ridicule? Next time you feel the urge to get out the phone, stop and think, how would you feel if this was your sister, mother, brother, daughter, son….or you?
There is a lot of information on your page being shared about the right to privacy, apparently you and your supporters are all well aware of the law, but it isn’t that simple. You can read more about harassment here. It only takes for the photo you post to be shared a few times (which yours regularly are) before we get into the muddy waters of harassment.
Despite your prolific posting about free speech yesterday, I found it interesting that anyone disagreeing with you or appealing to your better nature was deleted and blocked. Some may call that a bit of a dichotomy but I will leave you to wrestle with that one all on your own.
Where do we go from here?
So this is where I will attempt to appeal to your better nature because I live in hope that behind your page and your computer you do have one:
It is time to stop. If people are offended it is for good reason. Next time you are sent a photo for the purposes of public shaming please pause before you click the share button. You have no idea who the subject of the photo is, you have no idea who their family, kids and friends are. You have absolutely no idea about the state of their mental health. You do, however, have a responsibility to understand that the consequences of your actions may severely harm them. We only need to look at cases right up and down the country where people have taken their own lives after being the subject of cyber bullying.
It comes to something when a petition is started because of your actions.
In conclusion, it only remains for me to leave you with the song I have been listening to whilst typing. Remind you of anyone?
National Stalking Awareness week is a time every year in which attention is drawn to the serious issues caused by stalker behaviour throughout the UK. In brief, stalking affects hundreds of thousands of men and women, therefore this week is used to put the spotlight on the damage done.
10 Stalking Awareness Week Facts
Women are much more frequently stalked than men[1].
Of stalking cases, 43% of women and 29% of men who were stalked, were stalked by current or ex partners[3].
In a survey carried out in 2015[4], it was found that 45% of stalking victims suffered from PTSD.
Developments in technology have further complicated matters. In another survey done in 2011[5], 92% of participants believed that they had been harassed through electronic communication.
Very often victims of stalking lose wages due to taking sick leave, quitting their job, or even being sacked[6].
A study done in America[7] found that 1 in 4 women experienced damage to their property as a direct result of stalking.
Many victims of stalking withdraw from their family and friends due to embarrassment or a belief that they are endangering them[8].
76% of women who were murdered by their current or former partner were stalked by their killer in the 12 months leading up to their death[9].
Stalking Awareness Week Dates
2021
April 19 – April 23
2022
April 18 – April 22
Who stalks?
Hollywood likes to depict stalkers as mentally disturbed individuals or obsessed fans[11], however this is a common misrepresentation. A stalker could be an ex-partner, a friend, a colleague, a professional you know, an acquaintance or a stranger.
How do they stalk?
There is no legal definition of stalking, but it is generally understood to be a fixation on someone demonstrated through a series of unwanted behaviours that may seem subtle or harmless initially, but become intimidating and very frightening.
These behaviours include, but are not limited to:
Persistently calling or texting you or sending you messages via social media
Turning up to your house, school or workplace
Waiting around places you often go to
Sending or leaving you gifts or items
Using social media and internet forums to find out information about you
Using this information as a way to manipulate or coerce you
Damaging or breaking things that belong to you
Contacting people around you, such as your friends and family
Threatening to harm themselves
Making threats against you or any of your friends or family
What can you do?
Take some time to have a look at your social media privacy settings online and on your phone. Are your location service settings on? Who can see your photos? Who can tag you? Are your historical posts as private as your recent ones? Is there anyone you want to block access from? Do you have any old social media accounts you don’t use anymore that you can close down?
If you receive frequent unwanted communication, or you see someone loitering around, keep a diary of what they’re saying and when and where they’re appearing.
Take photos of gifts or written messages left for you and any items that have been damaged, but only when it is safe to do so.
Do not engage with the person who is stalking you.
Change your routine where you can and put other things in place that help you to feel safer – carrying a charged mobile phone on you, for example.
Talk to people about what’s happening. Your friends and family may be able to help you keep records of sightings and messages and will be there to support you.
Report the stalking to the police. Keep records of the officers you speak with and the crime reference numbers you’re given.
If you’re worried that you’re being stalked and want to talk to someone about it, you can contact Aurora New Dawn on 02392 479 254. We’re available throughout Stalking Awareness Week to support you to explore your options.
Aurora New Dawn is pleased to announce two new posts for our innovative Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) car project.
FEMALE[1] Aurora New Dawn DVA car Advocate – AURORA NEW DAWN DVA CARS™
Hours:
Part-Time: 17 Hours per week (to include some weekend and evening work)
Salary: Scale 8: £27,190 per annum, pro rata (Actual Salary £12,500)
Duration: Funding until March 2018
Role:
This role comprises of two parts, worked on a rota basis and totalling 17 hours per week:
To provide an out-of hours*, face-to-face crisis response to incidents of domestic violence in the South-East Hampshire area, working on an ‘on-call’ basis alongside officers from Hampshire Constabulary.
To work alongside the Aurora team in our main office** (Havant) processing and reviewing referrals received as part of the DVA car project, ensuring that clients are referred into appropriate longer-term support as required.
*Out of hours shifts are between 6pm-2am.
**Office shifts can be worked between the hours of 8am – 6pm, to be agreed between the organisation and the successful candidate.
Closing date for applications – 4pm on April 8th 2015
To apply:
For more information, or to request a copy of the Application Pack (including full job description and person specification) please contact us on info@aurorand.org.uk or 02392 4792
[1] * In accordance with schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010
The Aurora New Dawn merchandise shop launches soon! Check back regularly for updates.
