Following increased calls for the UK government to introduce greater safety measures for women, a Change.org petition is calling for a stalkers’ register.
Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service founder Laura Richards started the petition which has accumulated over 232,000 signatures.
“We need to act now to save lives by protecting women from serial stalkers and domestic violence perpetrators by extending the Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements to ensure that police, prison and probation services pro-actively identify, track, monitor and manage serial perpetrators,” explains Laura in the petition’s description.
Would someone please ask its proponents to explain how a registration system would have prevented the murders that inspired this petition? I would think an impartial journalist would have thought of that.
Just like any other registry one for stalkers would not solve the real problems. If the goal is less stalkers or people perceived as stalkers then perhaps start figuring out how those individuals become stalkers and perceived stalkers. From there work backwards until changes are implemented at a societal scale to reduce the likelihood of it eventually happening in the first place. Also regardless of gender if someone knowingly takes a risk (most conduct including everyday activities come with at least some form of risk for something) then that person is at minimum partially responsible for taking the risk. This isn’t a free for all for anyone else to come along and take advantage of the situation, but no one ought to get away with total innocence if they didn’t consider taking precautions or alternatives.
Terrible idea.
There’s nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing “pro-active” about ANY registry in any iteration. It’s a reactionary and futile attempt at prevention and awareness.
Not all knowledge is power, even if it’s already public record. When there’s a shaming component involved, it’s almost always done to pacify victims and safety advocates.
Soon, if you are walking behind someone for more than 3 blocks, you will be arrested for stalking. And if you brush by someone in an elevator , then you will be charged with assault. Maybe they can put the sex police undercover in public restrooms at stadiums and arrest men for urinating in front of minors.
Don’t laugh, it’s coming to that. Soon the mere act of intercourse will be outlawed. Only IVF will be allowed.
Does this mean the stalker/trolls here might have to register? Wouldn’t that be funny? There is a better conclusion if they didn’t hide so well, but it’s a start and a solution to that.
So what does being on the list do, even hypothetically, to keep people safe from stalkers?
Is it so you don’t move next door or go to their house because they may stalk you after they see you?
When a cop pulls them over, will they assume they were following whatever car was in front of them?