Trust supports domestic violence campaign
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust is showing its support to ADVA (Against Domestic Violence and Abuse) across Devon during Domestic Abuse Awareness Week.
This year’s campaign is ‘Is This Safe?’, which focuses on the growing problem of cyber-stalking and its link with domestic abuse.
The aim of the campaign is to make people aware of the potential risks inherent in our use of the internet and social media platforms. The aim is to engage with online users who might be at risk to change their behaviour, by increasing their security settings or reducing the amount of information they make available about themselves online.
Nicki MacPhail, Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are showing our support to this year’s ADVA campaign to help make people aware of some of the dangers of using the internet, particularly social media sites.”
Stalking affects millions of people in the UK. According to the Home Office, 9.3% of men and 18.7% of women have been victims of stalking since the age of 16 (Home Office, January 2011). Stalking by ex-partners accounts for the largest group of victims, the majority of these victims being women. 80% of women in this group were previously physically assaulted while in the relationship. In approximately 50% of cases the stalking behaviour started while in the relationship. The Metropolitan Police found that 40% of domestic abuse murders were also victims of stalking (ACPO Homicide Working Group, 2003).
Social Networking sites, mobile devices, email and digital technology have opened up a whole new element of risk for victims of domestic abuse from Cyberstalking. The Internet and mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets have changed the way we communicate and made it easier to find and contact people directly as well as find information previously unknown. Ex-partners often have access to victims’ computers, mobiles and knowledge of their password and security questions further increasing the risk.
Cyberstalking can be defined as threatening behaviour or unwanted advances directed at another using the Internet or other forms of online and computer communications. It shares some characteristics with stalking in that it is deliberate, persistent and personal. The easiest way to prevent yourself or someone you know from experiencing cyberstalking is to secure your networking profiles to reduce the risk.
Please follow this link to ADVA information leaflets and websites to learn how to protect your online accounts, change security settings and block users where appropriate.
If you think you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse or Cyberstalking, call:
Devon Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0345 155 1074
Plymouth Domestic Abuse Services on 01752 252033
National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300
Women’s Aid on 0808 2000 247
If it is an emergency call 999
