A CHARITY set up in memory of a woman who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend is working with an NHS trust to raise awareness of stalking and coercive or controlling behaviour.

The Alice Ruggles Trust has teamed up with the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services in County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire, to develop a range of training materials to educate their staff and service users.

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The Alice Ruggles Trust was founded in 2017 by Clive Ruggles and Sue Hills, after the death of their daughter Alice, who lived in Gateshead,  following a relentless campaign of stalking.

As part of their work with TEWV, they have developed a stalking awareness leaflet for young people using their children and adolescent mental health services explaining what stalking is, what it looks like, and what to do if you are a victim.

They have also created a webinar and an awareness booklet for staff, a video to be used in staff safeguarding training, and are in the process of organising the delivery of short training courses for staff as well as other resources.

Clive Ruggles said: “What happened to Alice showed that we desperately need stalking victims to recognise the seriousness of what is happening to them and seek help sooner.

“We need to ensure that today’s adolescents and young adults recognise if they, or someone they know, are experiencing stalking or are exhibiting stalking behaviours and know what to do, what advice to give, and how to seek help.

“Collaborations such as these are hugely important; safeguarding professionals have a vital role in helping reduce the risks from stalking, and having a powerful personal story at the heart of our training makes it all the more effective.”

The charity provides a range of training packages, often in cooperation with other agencies and charities.

Claire Bainbridge, consultant forensic psychologist at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s important that our staff can recognise the signs and are educated in how to handle these situations.”

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