POLICE in North Yorkshire say they will focus on combating stalking and harassment during this month's No Home Here campaign.

The ongoing campaign has previously dealt with domestic abuse and child neglect, and focuses on helping vulnerable people in society.

Throughout February, the force aims to help people understand if they are a victim, or know someone who is a victim of harassment including physical, verbal and non-verbal actions, or stalking, including repeated, unwanted behaviour that causes a person to feel distressed or in fear.

There were almost five times as many stalking crimes reported between July 2016 and July 2017 (52), than between the same period in 2012 and 2013 (11), while the number of harassment crimes in 2016-2017 was 886, compared with 387 in 2012-2013.

T/Det Supt Allan Harder, said stalking was often described by victims as a form of 'mental rape', which caused "colossal impact" on victims' emotional wellbeing, and the increase in reports was likely due to people being more confident in reporting incidents.

He said: "Victims of harassment and stalking crimes are often vulnerable and have frequently suffered the actions of perpetrators over a long period of time. Many are survivors of domestic abuse, who leave coercive and controlling relationships only to become the victims of an extension of this behaviour by way harassment and stalking.

"Nobody in our communities should feel harassed or stalked. It is simply not acceptable. The ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend that calls you fifty times a day and follows you home making you feel scared and fearful of your safety – they are committing a crime and you should tell the police about their behaviour."

Anyone suffering harassment or stalking is advised to contact the police or support agencies so that investigations can start, and to gather evidence of the incidents, keeping phone records, emails, text messages, screenshots of any social media posts or pages, messages, letters or gifts.

T/Det Supt Harder also issued the following advice to recognise the typical behaviour of stalkers:

- The victim is a former intimate partner who denies the end of the relationship. They are often sane but angry and will respond to sanctions but believe they are entitled to their partner.

- Intimacy stalkers believe they are in a relationship with their victim. Such a relationship can develop with anyone with whom they have had contact with. Such victims can range from a dentist to a celebrity.

- Incompetent suitors do not have the skills to pursue a relationship, but do so anyway. They do not have the basic skills to develop and maintain a relationship and are resentful, often targeting professionals who have let them down whom they blame them for everything that has gone wrong with them. They seek to terrify and control.

- Cyber stalkers use threatening behaviour or unwanted advances directed at another using the internet and other forms of computer communications which could lead to identity theft, posting false profiles, provoking others to attack others by attacking the victim, direct threats through email and messaging.

To report harassment or stalking, phone North Yorkshire Police on 101, or go to northyorkshire.police.uk but anyone who feels threatened or in immediate danger should phone 999 for an emergency police response.

More information is also available through the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 or at stalkinghelpline.org