Public sexual harassment is an appalling crime which the Government is committed to tackling. Women have the right to both be and feel safe on our streets.<\/p>
The Government has already taken significant action to tackle it, including supporting the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 (sponsored by Rt Hon. Greg Clark MP and Lord Wolfson of Tredegar KC), which makes public sexual harassment a specific offence.<\/p>
As with any new criminal justice legislation, an implementation period is necessary to ensure all processes, systems and guidance are updated \u2013 including drawing up the statutory guidance. We will ensure the legislation comes into force as quickly as reasonably possible.<\/p>
We have ensured that new guidance was published for police and prosecutors on existing offences, have provided £160 million through five rounds of the Safer Streets and Safety of Women at Night Funds to make our streets safer, have created the new StreetSafe tool which allows people to pinpoint where they have felt unsafe and the police to take action, and have launched the ground-breaking \u2018Enough\u2019 communications campaign.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4826", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Laura Farris"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Laura Farris"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "8419"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-15T18:01:10.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) guidance he has issued to police forces and (b) data his Department is collecting on the recording of data on harassment offences where sex or gender is a relevant factor.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4088", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stella Creasy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walthamstow"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stella Creasy"} ], "uin" : "8420"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1146269", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1146269/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The National Police Chiefs\u2019 Council lead for Stalking and Harassment, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, and the College of Policing, wrote to Chief Constables in April 2019 recommending that all police forces in England and Wales stop using Police Information Notices (PINs) with immediate effect. An evaluation of any gap created by this policy decision will be conducted in May 2020.<\/p>
Following a recommendation from the Independent Office for Police Conduct in September 2019, DCC Mills wrote to all Chief Constables again, inviting them, if they had not done so before, to consider withdrawing PINs within their policing area with immediate effect. He also asked them, once PINs had been withdrawn, to satisfy themselves that PINs or their equivalent were not still being used by officers when responding to stalking and harassment offences.<\/p>
As they are non-legislative tools, the Home Office does not collect information centrally on the number of PINs issued. Responsibility for the publication of information by a police force sits with the Chief Constable.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "290568"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-30T15:10:47.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when new guidance for the operation of Police Information Notices will be issued.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/114", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tim Loughton"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Worthing and Shoreham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tim Loughton"} ], "uin" : "290567"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1146270", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1146270/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The National Police Chiefs\u2019 Council lead for Stalking and Harassment, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, and the College of Policing, wrote to Chief Constables in April 2019 recommending that all police forces in England and Wales stop using Police Information Notices (PINs) with immediate effect. An evaluation of any gap created by this policy decision will be conducted in May 2020.<\/p>
Following a recommendation from the Independent Office for Police Conduct in September 2019, DCC Mills wrote to all Chief Constables again, inviting them, if they had not done so before, to consider withdrawing PINs within their policing area with immediate effect. He also asked them, once PINs had been withdrawn, to satisfy themselves that PINs or their equivalent were not still being used by officers when responding to stalking and harassment offences.<\/p>
As they are non-legislative tools, the Home Office does not collect information centrally on the number of PINs issued. Responsibility for the publication of information by a police force sits with the Chief Constable.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "290567"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-30T15:10:47.147Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Police Information Notices have been issued by each constabulary in the last 12 months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/114", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tim Loughton"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Worthing and Shoreham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tim Loughton"} ], "uin" : "290568"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/892273", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/892273/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The College of Policing has produced updated guidance on investigating stalking and harassment, including the use of Police Information Notices by the police, which is currently being reviewed. It is expected that the College will publish this guidance shortly.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-30T13:58:33.683Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the guidance on Police Information Notices in the Authorised Professional Practice guidance on harassment and stalking to be published.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4658", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Sobel"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds North West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Sobel"} ], "uin" : "138564"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/517857", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/517857/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not collected centrally. The issuance of Harassment Warning Notices, also known as Police Information Notices (PINs), is an operational matter for Chief Constables. Responsibility for the publication of information relating to PINs rests with Chief Constables.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4110", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Staffordshire Moorlands"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Karen Bradley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-05-10T12:17:18.867Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-05-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many harassment warnings each police force in England issued in the most recent financial year for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"} ], "uin" : "36661"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/506647", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/506647/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not collected centrally. The issuance of Police Information Notices (PINs) is an operational matter for police forces. Responsibility for the publication of information relating to PINs rests with Chief Constables.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-04-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-04-13T16:09:01.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many harassment warning notices were issued by police forces in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many people who received such notices were subsequently prosecuted for harassment offences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3970", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Johnson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dartford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gareth Johnson"} ], "uin" : "32982"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99891", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/99891/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The College of Policing sets standards and provides relevant training products and services to police forces. This includes a College of Policing training package on stalking which has been completed 56,748 times between October 2012 and 30 September 2014 by police officers and staff in England and Wales.<\/p>
The Home Office does not hold information which breaks this figure down by police officers and staff for each police area in England and Wales.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-23T14:50:11.0510992Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police staff in each police area in England and Wales have received training in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/549", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Elfyn Llwyd"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Elfyn Llwyd"} ], "uin" : "211145"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93296", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93296/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office does not collect data on the number of offences that are reported to the police. Not all crimes that are reported to the police will be recorded. <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/28", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Norman Baker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewes"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Norman Baker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-24T14:18:09.6761904Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Harassment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many stalking and harassment cases were reported to the police in each year since 2011.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4050", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gordon Henderson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sittingbourne and Sheppey"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gordon Henderson"}
], "uin" : "210569"}
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The police started recording stalking offences from April 1st 2014 so at present there is only data for April-June 2014 for this offence. Data on stalking and harassment offences are available in Table A4 of \u2018Crime in England and Wales\u2019, published by the ONS each quarter.
The most recent is available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-june-2014/index.html<\/a><\/p>