Stalking to be made a criminal offence after domestic violence proposals approved

Fifteen new measures, including making stalking a criminal offence with a 10-year maximum prison sentence, were passed by members.

New offences of drink-spiking, sexual harassment in public and strangulation and suffocation were also among the proposals.

The new legislation will now be prepared before the new offences come into force.

Presenting the policy letter to the States as part of his committee’s second phase of work on legal reform in respect of domestic abuse and sexual offences, Home Affairs president Rob Prow said the legislation was the culmination of a ‘significant’ piece of work informed by subject matter experts in the public sector and their third sector partners, as well as the law officers of the Crown.

He said the measures offered greater protection to victims and provided an ‘effective’ response to perpetrators of domestic abuse and sexual offences.

‘The committee appreciates the legislation is not the panacea for bringing about societal changes, however we believe that it sends a strong message to perpetrators that such behaviours will not be tolerated in the Bailiwick.’

He said his committee was still in ‘listening mode’ in terms of the finalisation of the legislation’s wording, and comments made during the debate would be looked at further before the legislation was drafted.

Home Affairs’ plans received support across the board from members.

Deputy Tina Bury said she commended the committee for its work, and said questions she had regarding several of the propositions were not meant as criticisms, but as a demonstration of the importance of the matters being discussed.

‘I really do support the bringing in of the crime of stalking, it’s often a precursor to far worse as a course of conduct, as well as spiking without having to prove the intent,’ she said.

She added the introduction of strangulation and suffocation offences were welcome, due to the fact that statistics showed both were often precursors to domestic abuse deaths.

‘If these things can be caught earlier by there being specific crimes, we are literally looking at saving lives.’

Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen said the introduction of laws recognising domestic abuse in all forms as a behaviour that was not acceptable and that would have consequences was a ‘great benefit’.

‘I want to thank the committee for their hard work this term in bringing this suite of proposals to the Assembly, giving Guernsey a strengthened position in victim protection and an effective response to perpetrators.’

Home Affairs member Sue Aldwell said one in four women in Guernsey experienced domestic abuse.

‘Guernsey has listened and sent out a clear message to perpetrators – your behaviour will not be tolerated.’

‘This legislation could potentially be protecting [people’s] family members for generations to come.’