Advocates watching to ensure new anti-stalking law is “more than just paper”

Released by: the Coalition for the Safety of Women & Children, and the National Council of Women Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa

After a three-year campaign, violence-prevention advocates today (26 May) welcomed stalking criminalisation, and also vowed to stay vigilant to ensure state agencies use the law as intended.

“We thank everyone who helped make this hopeful day of celebration possible, including those who supported the anti-stalking petition, everyone who made a submission, and politicians on both sides of the house,” said National Council of Women President Suzanne Manning. “Our work together has made real change in the protection of women’s rights and freedom.”

The Chair for the Coalition of the Safety of Women and Children, Leonie Morris, said “We will be watching to see that the law is more than just paper. Police need to take victim-survivors seriously, and have victim-survivor safety as their number one priority.”

Coalition member  Annie Tupaea, kaiwhakahaere of Eastern Women’s Refuge, said her agency welcomed the law, as the refuge has had to expand safety planning with wāhine over recent years due to increased stalking behaviour.

“For the victim-survivors we work with, this law could provide greater validation, stronger protection, and a clearer pathway to abuser accountability. We hope this change will ensure victim-survivors are better heard, believed, and protected.”

Coalition member Shasha Ali, Strategic Development Manager, Shakti Trust, supporting Asian, African and Middle Eastern immigrant women, said the law is sufficiently wide to potentially combat culturally cloaked forms of abuse, and abuse within ethnic communities: “It criminalises patterns of behaviour causing fear or distress, but this will look differently for diverse communities. If implemented appropriately and sensitively, this could help ethnic women seen by Shakti.”

Coalition member, domestic violence expert and researcher Dr Alison Towns welcomed the law and looked forward to a compassionate response to victims. “Police and prosecutors need to be mindful of who is experiencing fear or distress and should not be manipulated by stalkers into charging the victim. Comprehensive training and understanding of the law is essential for justice.”

Coalition chair Leonie Morris also said the law could and should be used to crackdown on online harassment and abuse, and that the Coalition also looked to the government to ensure specialist support and advocacy for victim-survivors of stalking. “This is a new tool to combat rising misogyny, and not a moment too soon. It can’t do everything but we hope it will be used to make a difference.”

The Auckland Women’s Centre has published a new Kaupapa Māori resource written by Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki about responding to stalking and coercive control, and has also updated its general stalking-response guide. Both community resources are available at awc.org.nz/stalking-response-guide

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Subsequent RNZ article 26 May 2026, quoting Leonie Morris

Notes on the new stalking offense (see Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act:

• For stalking to be criminal, a person has to target behaviour at someone else at least twice within two years, and do so “knowing that it is likely to cause fear or distress” to the person targeted.
• Stalking offenses can take place online and/or in the physical world, and can include a wide range of behaviours including watching, tracking, contacting, damaging reputation, damaging property, and “acting in any way that would cause fear or distress to a reasonable person”. The stalking offense may involve other people.
• Stalking often (but not always) happens as part of family violence and abuse.

Coalition for the Safety of Women & Children: Aotearoa Women’s Watch, Auckland Women’s Centre – Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau, Eastern Women’s Refuge, Good Shepherd, NZ Human Rights Centre, HELP Support for Sexual Abuse Survivors, Hestia Women’s Refuge, Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura – Outing Violence, Inner City Women’s Group, Kia Haumaru – Personal Safety Education, National Council of Women Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa, Rape Prevention Education – Whakatu Mauri, Respect, Rodney Women’s Centre, Shakti Community Council NZ, SHINE Safer Homes in NZ Everyday, Te Ārai Roa Manaaki Living Without Violence Waiheke, The Backbone Collective, Women’s Health Action Trust, Women’s Refuge – Tāmaki Makaurau, YWCA, Auckland