Minister for Social Dialogue Helena Dalli said that like domestic violence, stalking cut across the social spectrum and perpetrators needed psychological help.

She said stalking, cyber stalking and anonymous phone calls needed to be covered by law to protect both men and women. The Istanbul Convention which had just been ratified was encouraging signatories to make stalking a criminal offence.

In a study of 40,000 people by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, carried out throughout Europe including Malta, 25 per cent of the women had been found to be a victim .

The police needed to create more awareness when men and women filed reports that they were being harassed by their former spouses.

A total of 11 stalking cases were reported in 2008, a figure that rose to 32 in 2011, said Dr Dalli, adding that such low figures made it immediately apparent that these cases were under-reported.

Other countries, where they felt more comfortable discussing this problem, had a far higher reporting rate.

The Bill included specific regulations and amendments, so more people could become aware that among other things, stalking was a crime. Dr Dalli hoped that besides empowering victims, this would encourage perpetrators to seek help.