From Enforcement to Intervention: A Whole-System, Multi-Agency Model for Addressing Stalking in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
From Enforcement to Intervention: A Whole-System, Multi-Agency Model for Addressing Stalking in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
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Original abstract
Background: Stalking is a high-harm form of interpersonal violence associated with significant psychological, social, and safety impacts. Responses have historically been fragmented, with criminal justice, health, and victim/survivor support services often operating in parallel rather than in coordination. Multi-agency approaches to stalking are emerging, but little has been written about how psychological intervention, civil preventative powers, and victim/survivor advocacy can be integrated within routine public protection arrangements. <div> <br> </div> <div> Aim: To describe the development and implementation of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight (HIOW) Multi-Agency Stalking Partnership (MASP) as a whole-system model for responding to stalking. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Methods: This descriptive paper outlines the rationale, governance arrangements, operational mechanisms, and core delivery components of the MASP model, drawing on service documentation and practice experience. Results: The MASP integrates police, probation, health, and specialist victim/survivor advocacy services within a coordinated framework. Core components include weekly and monthly multi-agency clinics, information-sharing arrangements, psychologist-led specialist interventions, psychiatric input, specialist victim/survivor advocacy, and the use of civil preventative powers such as Stalking Protection Orders. The model embeds behavioural intervention within ongoing risk management and public protection processes. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Conclusions: The MASP provides a practical example of how whole-system responses to stalking can be operationalised in practice. By aligning enforcement, behavioural intervention, and victim/survivor advocacy within a single partnership framework, the model extends existing approaches beyond information sharing alone. Continued evaluation is needed to strengthen the evidence base and support the refinement and sustainability of coordinated multi-agency responses to stalking. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> <div> Due to platform requirements, named authors on this record reflect members of the MASP evaluation team at the University of Southampton. This document was co-produced through the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Multi-Agency Stalking Partnership (MASP), with contributions from partner organisations including Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, STOP Domestic Abuse, South Central Probation Region (His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service), and the University of Southampton (MASP Evaluation Team). Full authorship is reflected in the document itself. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> For citation purposes, this document should be attributed to Katerina Porter, Rebecca J Harris, Kirsty Butcher, Lana Weir, Lisa Allam, David West, Abigail Leeson, Kathryn Smithers, Rebecca Parkinson, Jacqueline Foley, Rachel Windebank, Czarina Jacobs, Andrew Bates, Rebecca Bone, Nina Davies, Julie Parkes, & Sara A Morgan </div> </div>