Police in England and Wales have recorded a dramatic rise in stalking offences over the past 10 years, with experts attributing the increase to greater awareness of the crime and the growing role of technology in enabling perpetrators to monitor and harass victims.
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Data compiled by the House Commons Library and analysed by the Liberal Democrats shows that more than 135,000 stalking offences were recorded by police last year. A decade earlier, the number stood at just under 3,000.
The figures reveal substantial increases across all regions, with some of the country’s largest police forces reporting particularly sharp rises.
Sharp increases across major police forces
In London, the Metropolitan Police recorded 11,798 stalking offences last year, compared with 647 a decade earlier. Greater Manchester Police reported a rise from 96 offences to 10,649 during the same period.
Prosecutions have also increased. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the number of stalking cases leading to charges climbed from 2,305 in the 2020–21 financial year to 6,790 in 2024–25, the highest figure recorded so far.
A CPS spokesperson said the organisation had seen charges more than double in the past five years. Officials said the nature of stalking has evolved as more communication and interaction takes place online.
“Even when abuse occurs digitally, the harm experienced by victims is significant,” the spokesperson said, adding that prosecutors are working with specialists in technology and trauma to improve responses to such cases.
Last month, the CPS launched its first dedicated action plan aimed at tackling stalking offences, particularly those involving digital abuse.
Links to domestic abuse and technology
Charities supporting victims say stalking is frequently connected to domestic abuse, especially after a relationship ends.
According to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which runs a specialist stalking helpline, nearly half of those seeking help report being targeted by a former partner. Many others say they know the person responsible.
Jo Silver, interim chief executive of SafeLives, said stalking often forms part of a broader pattern of coercive or controlling behaviour.
She noted that modern technology has expanded the ways perpetrators can track and harass victims, allowing abuse to continue beyond physical spaces.
Silver said the rise in recorded offences likely reflects several factors, including greater public awareness and improved identification of stalking by police. Behaviours that may previously have been classified differently are now more often recognised as stalking, she added.
However, she stressed the importance of ensuring support services and law enforcement responses keep pace with the scale of the issue.
Calls for stronger protections
The Liberal Democrats have urged the government to introduce emergency stalking protection notices, similar to measures used in domestic abuse cases, allowing police to intervene immediately.
Marie Goldman, the party’s spokesperson for women and equalities, said stalking can have severe consequences for victims’ mental and physical health.
She described the figures as evidence of the scale of the problem and said stronger action was needed to ensure offenders face legal consequences.
Police leaders acknowledged the seriousness of the crime and said improving early detection and intervention remains a priority.
A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said stalking had historically been under-reported but that awareness has grown both among the public and within policing.
They said forces are working to ensure call handlers ask the right questions to identify stalking early and that protection orders are considered promptly in relevant cases.
Officials added that police are collaborating with the Home Office and the CPS to strengthen the wider criminal justice response to stalking offences.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 7 April 2026
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