• Data shows the highest number of stalking offences charged by prosecutors in one year.
• Government, police and prosecutors come together with academics, survivors and stakeholders for the first multi-agency stalking conference.
• Joint initiatives show progress in tackling stalking or harassment for victims.

Charges for stalking offences have more than quadrupled in the last five years according to new prosecution data.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data shows the number of stalking offences charged between April 2025 and March 2026 reached a record high at 8,561. The rise is likely to reflect an increase in public awareness of stalking as a crime, and greater understanding of stalking behaviours by police and prosecutors.

Reports of stalking and harassment have risen sharply in recent years, largely due to changes in recording, but also because police officers are better able to identify and record offences. Police and prosecutors continue to work closely to identify patterns of offending to build robust cases against perpetrators.  

This comes as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Home Office have come together for the first Government-led national multi-agency Stalking conference, as part of co-ordinated drive to strengthen the criminal justice system's response to stalking, better understand the risk stalking presents to victims and bring more offenders to justice.  

Olivia Rose, CPS National Stalking Lead, said: "Stalking is a terrifying and deeply intrusive crime, whether it happens in person or online. It can leave victims living in fear, feeling isolated as though there is no escape from the shadow of someone else’s behaviour.  

“Stalkers have more avenues to offend than ever before with technological advancements, but the record level of offences charged shows that our prosecutors are continuing to drive up the number of charges to deliver justice for more victims.

"Victims and survivors must be at the centre of everything we do. By bringing together survivors, practitioners and experts, we can strengthen our approach to these terrible crimes and hold more offenders to account."

Criminal justice leaders, including Grace Ononiwu, CPS Director General of Legal Delivery, Olivia Rose, CPS National Stalking Lead, Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Poolman, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Stalking and Harassment heard from experts about the realities of tech-enabled stalking, the serious risks posed by stalking behaviours, the psychological, emotional and physical harm stalking can have on victims, and the need to keep pace with stalking in a digital age.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Satvir Kaur, said: "No one should have to live in fear because of stalking. We will continue to work across the criminal justice system to keep improving our response to this devastating crime.

"This Government is using the full power of the state to protect victims and pursue perpetrators, backed by our recent £13 million investment in specialist Violence Against Women and Girls Protection Order Teams, which will include activity to improve the use of Stalking Protection Orders.”

Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Poolman, NPCC Lead for Stalking and Harassment said: “Stalking and harassment can have a devastating impact on victims, affecting their safety, wellbeing and everyday lives.

“Police-recorded stalking offences remain high, reflecting the increasing use of technology to facilitate this type of offending, improved awareness of stalking behaviours, and greater confidence among victims to come forward and report.

“Since the Stalking Super-Complaint, policing has made significant progress in improving the identification, investigation and management of stalking offences. Forces across England and Wales have strengthened their response, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for victims.

“While progress has been made, we know there is more to do. We remain committed to improving our response by listening to victims and learning from lived experience, while increasing our focus on identifying, managing and disrupting perpetrators to prevent further harm.

“Working with partners across the criminal justice system, we will continue to build a more consistent and effective response to stalking and harassment, ensuring victims remain at the heart of everything we do.”  

Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP said: "In my role superintending the CPS, I have seen first-hand the progress prosecutors have made in recognising and pursuing stalking, and these figures reflect that hard work and dedication.

"However, justice for victims depends on more than prosecution alone. That is why government, police, charities and the CPS are working together to tackle stalking at every stage, so that all victims and survivors get the support they deserve." 

Speaking directly to police, prosecutors and government officials, a stalking survivor described her experience of being stalked by her ex-partner, and the devastating impact it had on her life. The conference builds on the continuing action to strengthen the response to stalking:  

• In March the CPS launched its first Stalking Action Plan, setting out how prosecutors are being equipped to respond to stalking in a digital age. This includes closer working with tech experts, specialist training for prosecutors to better identify stalking behaviours and how they overlap with other offences, and the introduction of a stalking data flag to track cases through the criminal justice system.
• In August, the Home Office announced £13 million investment in specialist Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Protection Order Teams across up to ten police forces in England and Wales. The teams will strengthen the use and enforcement of protection orders, including Stalking Protection Orders, helping to better protect victims, improve offender management and prevent further harm.
• Police continue to drive a consistent approach to stalking across forces. Every force across England and Wales has an action plan to continue to improve its response, including taking measures to ensure accurate recording, improving the quality of stalking investigations, and maximising protective orders to safeguard victims.  
• The Home Office is exploring the recommendations made by Richard Wright KC following his independent review of the stalking legislation.

By strengthening the collective response to stalking, the criminal justice system can build victims' confidence to come forward, improve support for those affected, and see more offenders brought to justice. This work will help contribute towards the government’s pledge to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade.