Chief Investigator: Dr Sara Afshar Morgan, Associate Professor of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton

Team:

Mrs Katerina Porter, Senior Research Assistant, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton,

Lisa Allam, Commissioning Manager, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner

Dr Kirsty Butcher, Principal Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Lead, Multi-Agency Stalking Partnership,Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust

Detective Chief Inspector Abigail Leeson, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary

Dr Andrew Bates, Regional Forensic Psychologist, National Probation Service

Rachel Windebank, Operations Director, STOP Domestic Abuse

Partners: Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, National Probation Service, STOP Domestic Abuse.

Start: 1 October 2024

End: 31 March 2026

Summary

People often use the word ‘stalking’ to describe using social media to learn details about someone of interest.  However, in law enforcement, the word ‘stalking’ is used to describe something much more serious: ‘fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated behaviour that makes [the survivor] feel pestered and harassed’, alarmed, distressed, or afraid.[1]  In fact, the use of stalking behaviours can lead to serious violence; in a recent review of female deaths over 3 years, stalking behaviours were found to be present in 94% of cases[2].

People who use stalking behaviours often suffer from psychological inflexibility which causes them to fixate on particular individuals.  Recently, psychologists have been using various psychological therapies to attempt to treat the obsessiveness that people who stalk suffer from.  The use of these therapies has been evaluated in the short-term, with small groups.  Results have been positive, but there is a need for longer-term follow-up of people who have used stalking behaviours, to determine whether psychological therapies are useful in helping people to stop stalking.

This research study aims to explore the experiences of individuals who have used stalking behaviours, and who have completed a psychologist-led stalking intervention (PLSI), to learn whether participating in psychological therapies is useful in preventing further stalking.  We will gather information by doing interviews with people who have completed a programme of psychological therapy to stop stalking.  We will do up to 6 interviews with each person, over the course of one year, to understand their experiences.  We will also obtain information from the Police to learn whether any of the individuals have been reported as using stalking behaviours, after having completed the psychological therapy.  We will use this information to build a picture of the reasons why the psychological therapy might or might not work, in various cases, to prevent future stalking.  We will compare the experiences of the people who have used stalking behaviours, with information from victim-survivors and professionals.

There is already an evaluation and research study ongoing, to learn more about the use of these psychological therapies for stalking prevention. This study will be an extension of the existing study, to follow up existing research participants over a longer period of time. Longer-term follow-up of people who have used stalking behaviours is scarce. This original research will provide an important look into the experiences of people who have used stalking behaviours and completed psychological therapies to try to treat the underlying fixation. The ultimate goal of the psychological therapy is to prevent future violence. The results of the research will be fed back to all research partners directly (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, National Probation Service), as well as being submitted for publication. Results will also be presented in an easy-to-read format, for use by research partners to share with their potential clients (including people who have used stalking behaviours, and their victim-survivors).