The death of a 21-year-old student has pushed the idea of a stalking law into the spotlight

The Police watchdog investigating the murder of Auckland student Farzana Yaqubi in 2022, has found a litany of failures by Police.

The 21-year-old woman was stabbed to death by a 30 year old man eight weeks after she reported being harassed.

Clinical psychologist Alison Towns says stalking is a crime against freedom.

She says it can prevent people living a life without fear and apprehension and victims often feel imprisoned in their own homes.