Stalking super-complaint against the police

[ArabellaScott]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63745857

'Campaigners have launched a super-complaint against the police over their approach to stalking.

The National Stalking Consortium has claimed officers are failing to identify offenders, properly investigate crimes or protect victims.

Only 5% of stalking cases in England and Wales result in a charge, it added.

...
The consortium, made up of 21 expert individuals and organisations, argues that police are failing to identify patterns of behaviour and often treat incidents as lower level crimes such as malicious communications or criminal damage.'

My first thought was if this sort of case is possible why hasn’t one been brought re rape since rape charge/conviction rates are abominable & stilling falling.

then remembered how keen local male politicians were on redefining stalking laws to protect themselves against the disgruntled public

But I hope this case will open doors to women bringing cases against the govt/justice system for failing us so badly.

Yes, I'm not sure of the exact mechanism, SacreBlue. Have only the vaguest idea of 'super complaints'.

'The super-complaint, a mechanism that allows organisations to highlight harmful patterns or trends in policing, is being brought 10 years on from a change to the law that made stalking a specific offence.'

This might explain it a bit more:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-super-complaints

There have been a few there relevant to women:

Police super-complaints: police response to BAME victims of sexual abuse
5 March 2021
Police super-complaints: force response to police perpetrated domestic abuse
23 November 2022
Police super-complaints: police response to victims of modern slavery
4 April 2022
Police super-complaints: police use of protective measures in cases of violence against women and girls
7 June 2022

Only designated bodies can bring a 'super complaint', these are they:

Bodies designated on 25 June 2018

Action on Elder Abuse

Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse

Centre for Women’s Justice

Children’s Commissioner for England

Criminal Justice Alliance

Faith Matters

Galop

Hestia

Liberty

Missing People

Pathway Project

Southall Black Sisters

Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Tees Valley Inclusion Project

Welsh Women’s Aid

Women’s Aid Federation of England

So I guess one could ask one of the relevant bodies to raise a super complaint?

Oh, or ask for a designated body to raise it as a collaborative complaint:

'Designated bodies should collaborate effectively with non-designated organisations and, where appropriate, make a complaint on the basis of the matters raised with it by a non-designated body.'