North East stalking victims left in 'constant fear'
As part of National Stalking Awareness Week, we've been talking to our region's victims and the services who support them.
A North East stalking victim has told TFM how she felt she was under 'constant surviellance' when being harrassed by a former partner.
We're calling her Paula, and she described how she received up to 20 abusive text messages a day and was left fearing where her stalker would appear next.
She said: "I got so stressed out I couldn't really function properly or look after the kids, look after the house, go to work and it was all because of the pressure of not knowing what he would do next.
"I felt as though there was no guarentee that I would ever have any freedom from the feeling of being harrassed.
"He's pushed me, kept the children in the house and won't let them out.
"Part of me is really scared of him, I don't know what lengths he's willing to go to."
Well as part of National Stalking Awareness Week victims are being urged not to suffer in silence and come forward to report the harrassment.
Rachel Batey is from Voice Project in Stockton, she works with victims across the region whose harrassers are currently in custody.
She said: "It can be life-changing for the victims, but also their families and the people around them.
"It can be financially difficult too, we've had someone where they moved four times just to get away and unfortunately they were found every time.
"People think stalkers are just ex-partners but we've had cases of 'stranger stalking' or where it's a neighbour that you never reall talk to."
If you think you might be being stalked then call the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.