Church urged to believe women as report finds police aren’t investigating stalking effectively

An inquiry was launched after 19-year-old Shana Grice was murdered by her stalker despite repeated pleas for help.

Sussex Police involved in the case will be facing disciplinary action over her death but Shana’s parents have said it is “too little, too late”.

Gender justice specialist Natalie Collins told Premier the concerns of women need to be taken more seriously.

Speaking during News Hour, she said: “It is a national issue and it’s very easy to go ‘oh, isn’t it bad in that particular area’ but we need to recognise that this is a systemic issue with how women are often not believed – particularly young women – and how the police don’t really know how to respond properly to stalking and harassment.”

Shana Grice (pictured below) reported Michael Lane to officers five times in just six months but was fined for wasting police time. He was eventually jailed for 25 years for her murder.

The report said more improvements were needed to support victims and Sussex Police have acknowledged this.

Collins told Premier the Church also needs to do more to help women in need.

“I think the same goes for the Church – as I said with the police, that we need to believe women and the Church does not have a hugely good track record of believing women,” she said.

“We’re coming up to Easter very soon and the story of the resurrection…when…