Advocates watching to ensure new anti-stalking law is “more than just paper.”

After a three-year campaign, violence-prevention advocates today welcomed stalking criminalisation, and also vowed to stay vigilant to ensure state agencies use the law as intended. 

“We thank everyone who helped make this hopeful day of celebration possible, including those who supported the anti-stalking petition, everyone who made a submission, and politicians on both sides of the house,” said National Council of Women President Suzanne Manning. “Our work together has made real change in the protection of women’s rights and freedom.”

The Chair for the Coalition of the Safety of Women and Children, Leonie Morris, said “We will be watching to see that the law is more than just paper. Police need to take victim-survivors seriously, and have victim-survivor safety as their number one priority.” 

Coalition member Annie Tupaea, Kaiwhakahaere of Eastern Women’s Refuge, said her agency welcomed the law, as the refuge has had to expand safety planning with wāhine over recent years due to increased stalking behaviour. 

“For the victim-survivors we work with, this law could provide greater validation, stronger protection, and a clearer pathway to abuser accountability. We hope this change will ensure victim-survivors are better heard, believed, and protected.” 

Coalition member Shasha Ali, Strategic Development Manager, Shakti Trust, supporting Asian, African and Middle Eastern immigrant women, said the law is sufficiently wide to potentially combat culturally cloaked forms of abuse, and abuse within ethnic communities: “It criminalises patterns of behaviour causing fear or distress, but this will look differently for diverse communities. If implemented appropriately and sensitively, this could help ethnic women seen by Shakti.” 

Coalition member, domestic violence expert and researcher Dr Alison Towns welcomed the law and looked forward to a compassionate response to victims. “Police and prosecutors need to be mindful of who is experiencing fear or distress and should not be manipulated by stalkers into charging the victim. Comprehensive training and understanding of the law is essential for justice.”

Coalition chair Leonie Morris also said the law could and should be used to crackdown on online harassment and abuse, and that the Coalition also looked to the government to ensure specialist support and advocacy for victim-survivors of stalking. “This is a new tool to combat rising misogyny, and not a moment too soon. It can’t do everything, but we hope it will be used to make a difference.”

The Auckland Women’s Centre has published a new Kaupapa Māori resource by Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki about responding to stalking and coercive control, and has also updated its general stalking-response guide. Both community resources are available at awc.org.nz/stalking-response-guide

Notes on the new stalking offence (see Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act:

• For stalking to be criminal, a person has to target behaviour at someone else at least twice within two years, and do so “knowing that it is likely to cause fear or distress to person B.”
• Stalking offences can take place online and/or in the physical world, and can include a wide range of behaviours including watching, tracking, contacting, damaging reputation, damaging property, and “acting in any way that would cause fear or distress to a reasonable person”. The stalking offence may involve other people.
• Stalking often (but not always) happens as part of family violence and abuse.

For more info contact:

• National Council of Women President, Suzanne Manning: 027 419 8710

• Leonie Morris, Chair, Coalition of the Safety of Women and Children: 021 209 8842

• Annie Tupaea, Kaiwhakahaere, Eastern Women’s Refuge: 027 252 6711

• Shasha Ali, Strategic Development Manager, Shakti: 027 370 4269

• Dr Alison Towns, Domestic violence expert and researcher: 021 846 939

Coalition Members:

Aotearoa Women’s Watch

Auckland Women’s Centre – Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau

Eastern Women’s Refuge

Good Shepherd

NZ Human Rights Centre

HELP Support for Sexual Abuse Survivors

Hestia Women’s Refuge

Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura – Outing Violence

Inner City Women’s Group

Kia Haumaru - Personal Safety Education

National Council of Women Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa

Rape Prevention Education – Whakatu Mauri

Respect

Rodney Women’s Centre

Shakti Community Council NZ

SHINE Safer Homes in NZ Everyday

Te Ārai Roa Manaaki Living Without Violence Waiheke

The Backbone Collective

Women’s Health Action Trust

Women’s Refuge - Tāmaki Makaurau

YWCA, Auckland