Borough ranked sixth in country for stalking cases

Hyndburn is ranked sixth highest nationally for the most cases of stalking

- BY JON MACPHERSON, RICHARD AULT

A NEW map has revealed the places where there are the most cases of stalking with Hyndburn ranking the sixth highest nationally.

One in seven people aged over 16 has been a victim of stalking at least once.

The latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that one in five women and one in 11 men aged 16 and over have been a victim of stalking.

In Lancashire, Blackpool has the fifth highest rate of stalking and harassment in the country with 2,813 offences last year.

That's the equivalent of 20 crimes for every 1,000 people.

Hyndburn and Burnley were the next highest ranked nationally, at 46th and 65th respectfully.

Preston had the next highest rate at 72nd nationally while Ribble Valley was ranked the lowest at 280th.

Stalking is defined as two or more incidents causing distress, fear, or alarm.

That could include receiving an obscene or threatening message or phone call, having obscene or threatening information about you placed on the internet, being followed or watched, or someone loitering around your home or workplace.

Younger people - particularly younger women and girls - are more likely to be victimised and in the last year alone, one in 10 women and girls aged between 16 and 19 experienced stalking, and one in 15 men of the same age.

Separate figures show police recorded more than 600,000 crimes of stalking and harassment in the year ending September 2024, but many more crimes may have gone unreported.

It comes as Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw last Friday announced he is backing National Stalking Awareness Week to highlight the impact on victims and raise awareness about the support he's made available in Lancashire.