New laws giving Police stronger powers to respond to stalking and harassment are now officially in force across Aotearoa, marking a major shift in how the justice system deals with persistent abusive behaviour.
From today, stalking and harassment become standalone criminal offences under the Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Act, with offenders facing penalties of up to five years in prison.
Police can now issue formal stalking and harassment notices or lay criminal charges where repeated behaviour is identified that is likely to cause fear, intimidation or emotional distress.
The legislation follows years of campaigning by victim-survivors, advocacy organisations and legal experts who argued previous laws failed to properly recognise stalking as a pattern of coercive and harmful behaviour.
Under the new law, authorities must prove at least two stalking-related acts occurred within a two-year period. The legislation covers a wide range of behaviours including following someone, repeated unwanted communication, online harassment, doxxing, damaging property and attempts to isolate victims from relationships or support networks.
Police say the changes will allow frontline officers to intervene earlier before behaviour escalates into serious violence.
Advocacy groups have welcomed the reforms, describing them as a long-overdue recognition of the severe psychological harm stalking can cause, particularly for women and family violence survivors.
The Auckland Women’s Centre says the law also includes protections requiring Police to notify victim-survivors before issuing formal warnings to alleged stalkers, allowing victims time to prepare safety plans if needed.
Justice officials say implementation of the law has included months of training for Police, court staff and the judiciary ahead of the rollout.
The Government says the reforms are part of wider efforts to strengthen victim protections and modernise New Zealand’s criminal justice system in response to evolving forms of harassment and abuse, including online stalking and digital intimidation.
