Our 2024 conference
took place on
Wednesday, 6 November and Thursday, 7 November 2024
This year’s theme was
Best practice in tackling stalking
In partnership with the Department of Criminology at the University of Leicester
What happened
Our annual conference is a highlight in the stalking calendar for many people—an opportunity to network, learn from others and explore partnership opportunities. Across the two days there was plenty of space and time to connect with others working in similar and complementary roles.
This year, in response to participants’ feedback, we held our conference over two days. We undertook to highlight various aspects of the multi-agency working that is essential for supporting victims and managing perpetrators in the most effective way possible.
Throughout the two days we strove to ensure that attendees felt connected and inspired. Our programme was designed to ensure there were plenty of choices to improve people’s own work and deepen their understanding of different topics.
Our conference was opened by Kate, a stalking victim who shared her own experiences of being stalked by a serving police officer and the steps she ended up taking to change working cultures, being a police officer herself. Both Claire Waxman OBE, Victims’ Commissioner for London, and Dr Adrian Scott, who is leading the evaluation of our school assemblies project in the north-east, delivered inspirational keynote talks, as did Jess Phillips MP, who joined us on the second day (see picture).
Discussion groups and panels took place across both days giving attendees the chance to explore topics in more depth, have open discussions and listen to conversations between experts.
Attendees had a choice of workshops on both days, on topics including building ISAC teams, working with health colleagues, cyberstalking and peer-to-peer support.
Our speakers, workshop chairs and discussants provided examples of best practice across the board, in education, safeguarding, and criminal justice.
As ever, our aim was to bring together practitioners and academics to promote dialogue and cooperation that will improve strategies for protecting stalking victims and managing perpetrators. The conference audience included criminal justice, health service and third-sector professionals as well as academic criminologists and psychologists.
As in the last two years, the conference was a hybrid, held both in person at College Court conference centre, University of Leicester, and on-line. For those attending in person there was plenty of time and space for informal interaction, with overnight accommodation being provided on site.
Programme
The Alice Ruggles Trust Awards
During the conference dinner we presented the Alice Ruggles Trust Awards which recognise and celebrate people and projects doing exceptional work to help bring stalking to an end.
The winners were:
- Leader of the year: Claudia Ortiz
- Academic contribution: Emma Short
- Learning and Training: Alan Underwood
- Outstanding contribution: Rachel at Paladin
- Working Together: Cheshire Harm Reduction Unit
- Challenging behaviours: Kirsty Butcher
- Survivor empowerment: Caroline Saul
- Volunteer of the year: Anna Napolitano
- Creating change: Walk The Line theatre
Huge congratulations to all.
Conference resolution
The conference demands the urgent establishment of integrated multi-agency stalking centre in each police force area in England and Wales, following the MASIP model, with guaranteed funding for at least 2 ISACs and a clear pathway to the application and management of SPOs.