PRESS RELEASE
Date: Embargoed until 00:01 Monday 2 February 2015
LADY EDWINA GROSVENOR ANNOUNCED AS NEW PATRON FOR NATIONAL STALKING ADVOCACY
SERVICE
We are delighted to announce that Lady Edwina Grosvenor, the second daughter of the 6th Duke of
Westminster and fervent campaigner against injustice, has agreed to be patron of Paladin, the
National Stalking Advocacy Service. She supported the stalking law reform campaign, attended the
launch in the House of Lords in July 2013 and gave a key note address at Paladin’s first anniversary
event in 2014.
Commenting on her patronage, Edwina said: “Stalking is a complex crime with often a toxic
aftermath. For too long stalking has been a huge problem in British society. Changes in the way we
lived, socialised and worked meant that stalking increased dramatically and outstripped the powers
that the police had to deal with it. Paladin changed that and has run a highly successful campaign
not only to change attitudes but also to bring legislation into line with our modern world. Paladin is a
great force for good and it is a great honour to be a patron”.
Laura Richards, Chief Executive of Paladin, said: “We are hugely thrilled and privileged to have Lady
Edwina as our patron. We hope that through her support we can encourage more people to support
and fund our life changing and saving work. Since we launched we have advised and supported more
than 800 people, which shows the sheer prevalence of stalking and need for a such a service”
END
For more information contact: Lottie Paladin 020 7840 8960
Notes to editors
Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service was launched in the House of Lords on July 11 2013
following the highly successful All Party Parliamentary Stalking Law Reform Campaign which was
spearheaded by Laura Richards and others. The All Party report was published in February 2012 and
by May that year a new stalking law had been passed by both Houses of Parliament.
Lady Edwina is Paladin’s first patron. The Paladin board includes Allison Mann, Rachel Horman and
Allan Aubeelack. Paladin is funded to assist high risk victims throughout England and Wales. A
number of Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers (ISACs) ensure high risk victims of stalking
are supported and that a co-ordinated community response is developed locally to keep victims and
their children safe. Paladin is therefore vital to support victims of stalking, as well as scrutinising the
implementation and application of the new law. Paladin is the only service of this kind in the world.
This unique service is a lifeline for many. We have assisted over 800 victims since we launched.
We work in partnership with others to change and save lives and a co-ordinated approach also saves
money.
Paladin www.paladinservice.co.uk
About Paladin - The main aims of Paladin are to:
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
Provide advice and support to high risk victims of stalking
Raise awareness of dangers and risks of stalking
Provide training to professionals
Scrutinise the new stalking laws
Campaign on behalf of victims
Develop a victim’s network of support
KEY FACTS ABOUT STALKING
 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men will experience staking in their adult life (Homicides, Firearm
offences and intimate violence 2009/10; Supplementary Volume 2 to Crime in England and
Wales 2009/10 2nd Edition. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/11)
 Estimates of how many women, 16 to 59 years of age, in England and Wales had been the
victim of stalking in the previous year – according to Crime Survey for England and Wales
from 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 – were placed at 704,000, 669,000 and 686,000
respectively.
 Victims tend not to report to the police until the 100th Incident (Sheridan, 2005)
 Statistics show that the majority of victims (80.4%) are female while the majority of
perpetrators (70.5%) are male. (National Stalking Helpline, 2011).
 The Metropolitan Police Service found that 40% of the victims of domestic homicides had
also been stalked (ACPO Homicide Working Group, 2003).