Labour this week announced a "six-point plan for safer communities" which included consideration of stalking being made a specific offence under the Crimes Act — a move backed by other political parties.
The news was welcomed by 19-year-old Melee Dowle, whose final years of high school were plagued by the attentions of a man almost twice her age.
She met 35-year-old Shane Mulligan through a computer coding class run by a church they both attended.
After a brief conversation, the man bombarded his victim with messages until she blocked his online accounts.
However, Mulligan used a blog to articulate his escalating obsession and later contacted Ms Dowle’s family members in his bid to propose to her.
He was charged with criminal harassment, which carries a maximum of two years’ imprisonment, and was sentenced to 18 months’ intensive supervision.
Ms Dowle said the creation of a stalking charge was "reassuring" and she hoped it would prompt other victims to take their complaints to police.
She praised the officers who dealt with her case but acknowledged much of the evidence was online and therefore irrefutable.
For victims who were physically pursued or targeted more anonymously, prosecution would be more difficult, Ms Dowle said.
The political response comes after 21-year-old Farzana Yaqubi was murdered in December last year by Kanwarpal Singh, two months after the victim approached police about his growing obsession.
Last month he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years after pleading guilty to murder.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said "modernising" legislation would bring the country in line with the UK and Australia.
He said stalking could attract a sentence of between a year and three years’ imprisonment, along with stronger penalties for offenders with weapons or who loitered near a victim’s home or workplace.
"We will work with victims’ advocacy groups and legal experts as we progress these changes," he said.
Ms Dowle said she was initially reluctant to disclose details of her ordeal because of the embarrassment and guilt that came with it.
A specific charge of stalking would legitimise women’s concerns around persistent unwanted contact and she hoped those convicted of the crime would have access to treatment to address the underlying causes.
Mulligan’s sentence prevented him from any contact with Ms Dowle or her family, but the Otago Daily Times understands he is currently under investigation over a Facebook post from this week.
In it he names the victim and her brother, attaching photos of his letter to the court.
Breaching intensive supervision carries a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment.
— Additional reporting NZME
