Louise Burfitt-Dons, founding director of voluntary charity Act Against Bullying has raised concerns about cyberstalking cases not being taken serious enough by the Met Police. She was speaking on behalf of women in London on a film panel debating police conduct.
A new police initiative.
Discussions Matter, a new police initiative aimed at restoring trust in the Metropolitan Police in the wake of recent controversies invited the charity head to participate in a pilot project aimed at restoring confidence in the service after an outcry from the public following the murder of Sarah Everard and the revelations of serious sex offences by former Met Police inspector David Carrick.
Finding solutions for cyberstalking cases.
‘Women feel they are living through a Kafkaesque situation. Where do they go when they are being threatened with rape online and the Met dismiss it with a ‘get off the internet’ response as some women have reported.’
“With Discussions Matter, I am hoping to raise some of the concerns of women who don’t know where to turn if they are cyberstalked. We mustn’t forget that Jo Cox was murdered by a man who had a history of stalking her online,” said Burfitt-Dons. “Or the fact that television presenter Caroline Flack was driven to suicide by trolls.”
Rebuilding public support
Burfitt-Dons argues that the way to restore trust with women is three-fold: “Listen to honest feedback from the public, restore a culture of professionalism which means rooting out the bad apples, and improve training on growing crimes of the future against women like toxic cyberstalking.”
Laws to deal with cyberstalking
“There are plenty of laws against this type of crime, which mostly targets women. But very few convictions. There is a perception that it’s a problem for the social media companies and not a police matter. That is definitely not the case. We need to know the Met’s position on this.’
Burfitt-Dons’ inclusion in the panel reflects the desire of Discussions Matter to have a diverse range of voices and perspectives in finding solutions to the challenges facing the Metropolitan Police.
Met Police
While there is information on cyber harrassment on the Met Police website Mrs Burfitt-Dons raised the issue that victims were often dismissed when they tried to report cyberstalking cases to the police.
Famous Cyberstalking cases
- Stalking of Lily Allen – In 2009, a man named Alex Gray began stalking British singer Lily Allen, sending her threatening letters, and breaking into her home. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to four years in prison.
- Harassment of Kate Middleton – In 2016, a man named Mark Keegan was found guilty of stalking and harassing Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. He had been sending her hundreds of emails, and was eventually sentenced to 20 months in jail.
- Stalking of Helena Bonham Carter – In 2010, a man named Rakesh Patel was found guilty of stalking British actress Helena Bonham Carter. He had been sending her letters and emails for over a year, and was eventually sentenced to a community order and a restraining order.
- Stalking of Claire Waxman – In 2016, a man named Elliot Fogel was found guilty of stalking Claire Waxman, a victim’s rights campaigner. He had been sending her abusive messages and had even attempted to break into her home. He was eventually sentenced to six years in prison.
- Stalking of Chloe Madeley – In 2015, a man named Derek Draper was found guilty of stalking Chloe Madeley, a British TV presenter and model. He had been sending her sexually explicit messages and had even followed her to her gym. He was eventually sentenced to three years in prison.
Protecting the digitally-connected world is a top priority and focus in the US, but what is happening in the UK?
Cyberstalking laws in the UK
Protection from Harassment Act 1997 – This law covers a wide range of harassment, including cyberstalking, and makes it a criminal offense to engage in conduct that causes another person alarm or distress.
Malicious Communications Act 1988 – This law makes it an offense to send or publish threatening or abusive messages or material, including electronic communications like emails and social media messages.
Communications Act 2003 – This law covers a wide range of offenses related to the use of electronic communications, including cyberstalking, and makes it an offense to send messages or make phone calls with the intention of causing distress or anxiety.
Computer Misuse Act 1990 – This law covers a range of offenses related to the misuse of computer systems, including cyberstalking, and makes it an offense to access or modify computer systems without authorization.
Get involved
We’ve made quite a splash with our campaigns. But with your help, we can continue to change social attitudes on bullying and abuse wherever it occurs.
