Boender, Lieke (2025) From policy to practice: A qualitative study of the approach to stalking in the city of Groningen. Master thesis, Sociology.
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Abstract
In recent years, high-profile stalking cases in the Netherlands have highlighted the urgent need for timely and effective interventions. Victims often do not report stalking to police, and even when they do, they frequently do not receive adequate support. This highlights the importance of researching stalking policies to better understand how such practices are developed, implemented and experienced in practice. In the existing literature, how stalking is addressed in smaller, local contexts, remains largely understudied. This study, therefore, provides new insights through examining the stalking policies in the city of Groningen. To explore the developments in the approach to stalking in Groningen, this study seeks to answer the following research question: “How has the approach to stalking developed in the city of Groningen, considering the policies of involved organisations, and what factors played a role in the changes of the approach?”. A qualitative research design was used and ten in-depth interviews were conducted. In total, twelve participants took part in this study, all of whom were professionals working in various organisations within the field of stalking. The interviews were analysed through a codebook thematic analysis approach. The results show that the approach has shifted towards a more victim-centred approach, while also enhancing interventions targeting offenders. Although professionals mainly believe the approach to be effective, they continue to face challenges related to inter-organisational collaboration, staffing constraints and risk assessment. However, several policy changes have been introduced with the aim of improving the current approach. These policy developments are mainly driven by the need to enhance collaboration between organisations. In addition, experience with stalking incidents have also led to changes in the approach. For example, the high-profile case of Hümeyra in 2018 has led to the nationwide implementation of the Screening Assessment for Stalking and Harassment (SASH) tool by the police, thereby increasing consistency in risk assessment of stalking cases. Participants provided several recommendations to further strengthen the approach in Groningen, which also form the practical recommendations of this study. Participants recommended implementing the current pilots of the victim device and the stalking table that’s developing in Groningen. Furthermore, they suggested investing in training sessions and workshops to increase professionals’ expertise on stalking. To address the challenge of inter-organisational collaboration, participants suggested improving information sharing by adopting a more flexible approach to privacy regulations or developing a joint information-sharing system. In conclusion, the approach to stalking in Groningen has placed an emphasis on victim safety and support in recent years. While most involved organisations follow nationally developed policies, Groningen also adapts its approach to local needs. For example, recent developments such as the establishment of Filomena and the introduction of the victim device aim to enhance victims’ safety and freedom. The policy developments are mainly driven by challenges in inter-organisational collaboration or incidents with stalking cases, thereby highlighting the reactive nature of policy development. The findings suggest that better alignment of organisational policies and enhanced inter-organisational collaboration could further strengthen the overall response to stalking in the city of Groningen. Based on this study, several recommendations can be made for future research. It is recommended to conduct interviews with the Public Prosecution Service as well as with victims, as their perspectives are highly relevant for understanding how stalking policies are implemented and experienced in practice. In addition, including a document analysis of organisational policies could provide deeper insights into the development and design of stalking policies in Groningen.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Redhead, D.J. and Gerner-Haan, M. van |
| Degree programme: | Sociology |
| Differentiation route: | Criminaliteit en Veiligheid [Master Sociology] |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Dec 2025 07:38 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Dec 2025 07:38 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/6000 |
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