New service in Hampshire will work with stalkers to reduce re-offendingÂ

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust is working along Hampshire police, Probation Services, Aurora New Dawn and the Hampshire Stalking Clinic to launch the Recolo Project.

The 18-month pilot is for people in the county who have been charged and convicted of stalking offences and will offer them access to services to help with treatment.

Officially launched today, the project has been running for the past few weeks and Dr Kirsty Butcher, clinical lead, said more people than expected have already accessed it.

'˜This is an exciting project which has a multi-agency approach to helping stalking perpetrators,' she said.

'˜It comes off the back of the first ever stalking clinic that was launched in Hampshire some years ago and falls under the umbrella with the clinic and Aurora New Dawn.

'˜It is an intervention service and the first of its kind with the pilot also running in Cheshire and London.'

The Recolo Project aims to work with people to make behavioural changes - improving their psychological wellbeing, their relationships and ultimately reducing the risks of stalking behaviour and the impact on victims.

It has a consultant forensic psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, a forensic psychologist and an occupational therapist.

Dr Butcher added: '˜When the pilot ends in March 2020, we hope its aims of improving the psychology of stalking perpetrators and their relationships with others have been achieved.

'˜We also hope to have more of an idea of what works with those using the service and what benefits them most in reducing their re-offending.

'˜At the moment, there is little research in that area.'

The Recolo Project falls under the Multi-Agency Stalking Intervention Programme and has been co-ordinated by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

Lucy Kay, from Aurora New Dawn which helps victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking, added: '˜We thrive on working in partnership to achieve the best outcomes for victims and survivors of stalking.

'˜Our focus is to ensure the victim's voice is heard at every level of the intervention. Stalking is a devastating crime that impacts on lives in unimaginable ways.

'˜We also recognise work needs to be offered to those who stalk, in order to stop their behaviour.''‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹

 

'˜HAMPSHIRE LEADS THE WAY TO COMBAT STALKING'

HAMPSHIRE police has welcomed a new multi-agency service to help people convicted of stalking.

Launched today, the Recolo Project by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust will see offenders given access to psychologists and psychiatrists to understand their behaviour.

Detective Chief Inspector Suzette Allcorn said: '˜I am pleased we are part of the Recolo Project to further enhance our response to stalking and harassment.

'˜For many years now, Hampshire have been leading the way nationally in our response to stalking, and we launched the first multi-agency stalking clinic in the country. The Recolo Project enables a more holistic approach to be taken.'