New laws aimed at tackling stalking will be “hugely beneficial to victims”, according to a leading campaigner and survivor.

From today, stalking victims will be able to apply for civil protection orders regardless of their relationship to their stalker.

The orders can be granted without the level of proof needed for a criminal conviction – and the Department of Justice said making them more readily available will allow for ‘earlier intervention’ to protect victims.

They can also be granted on a ‘ex-parte basis,’ without the need for the perpetrator to be present in court.

Previously the orders were only available in domestic cases where the perpetrator was a current or former partner.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, stalking survivor Una Ring said she was ‘absolutely delighted’ with the change.

“It will be hugely beneficial to victims of stalking because it could prevent it from escalating, if somebody is able to get an order of protection before it escalates to the point that it did in my case,” she said.

Una eventually saw her stalker sentenced to seven years in prison with two suspended for a six-month campaign of terrifying harassment.

James Steele pleaded guilty to a range of offences including harassment, criminal damage and attempted trespass with the intent to commit rape.

Protection

She said she was not eligible for a protection order because Steele was a former colleague – and not a family member or ex-partner.

“I wouldn't have been able to get any award of protection against him but now, I would,” she said.

“This could have prevented things from escalating – it’s going to be hugely beneficial to people.”

The Justice Minister Helen McEntee with campaigners Una Ring and Eve McDowell and Fianna Fail Senator Lisa Chambers at the launch of proposed new legislation making stalking and non-fatal strangulation standalone offences, 21-04-2022. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Una said a protection order could force a stalker to “think about what they're doing and have them stop as opposed to continue on”.

“Orders of protection were always here but it was generally for, like domestic violence or, you know, family matters, that kind of thing,” she said.

“So it's just the fact that, like, you can you can get an order of protection against anybody now, which is tremendous, really.

“It's really, really important legislation to have.”

Stalking

Una said a huge amount of progress has been made in terms of protecting people against stalking in recent years.

“An awful lot has been done in such a short space of time when you think of how long it takes to get laws changed,” she said.

“I mean we have stalking now as a standalone offence; we have the term of imprisonment raised and now, with this new legislation, we have civil protection orders, which is, I think, one of the one of the biggest things.”

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