Committee for Justice - Protection from Stalking Bill
Call for Evidence
The Committee for Justice would like to hear your views on the Protection from Stalking Bill.
The purpose of the Bill is to improve the operation of the justice system by creating a specific new offence of stalking that recognises the experience of victims and the behaviour associated with stalking. It also creates an offence of threatening and abusive behaviour which can be triggered by a single incident and provides for stronger penalties for both offences to provide better protection than under the current harassment legislation and reflect the seriousness of the crimes. The Bill also provides for Stalking Protection Orders and special measures for all victims of stalking when giving evidence.
At its meeting on 21 January 2021 the Committee received a briefing on the principles of the Bill from Department of Justice officials.
- Read the departmental briefing paper dated 18 January 2021 (PDF, 4 pages, 465KB)
- Read the Hansard of the oral evidence session on 21 January 2021
- Read the Department of Justice correspondence dated 17 February 2021 – Follow-up to Oral Evidence Session on 21 January 2021
How to submit your views-
The Committee for Justice would like to hear your views on the Protection from Stalking Bill, and particularly the views of victims of stalking behaviour.
Written submissions should be submitted in word format and preferably by email to protectionfromstalkingbill@niassembly.gov.uk or, by post, to The Committee Clerk, Room 242, Parliament Buildings, Ballymiscaw, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX.
Your written submission should be structured to address specific clauses of the Bill. If appropriate, it should include any amendments you wish to propose to the text of the Bill.
The closing date for written submissions is Friday 16 April 2021.
Organisations or individuals responding to this call for evidence should note that their written submission (either in whole or part) may be published on the Committee webpage and may be quoted in the Committee's report or referred to in Committee meetings (which are public and broadcast).
The Committee recognises that in some circumstances people may prefer for their evidence to be treated as confidential, or published anonymously. If you wish to do this please make this clear when submitting your evidence.
Before sending us your views please read our Privacy Notice. This tells you how we process your personal data.
If you have any queries or require any further information about the call for evidence or the Committee Stage of the Protection from Stalking Bill please contact the Committee Clerk by email at protectionfromstalkingbill@niassembly.gov.uk or by phone at 028 9052 1629.
