The Followers

5. The worst happens. We need to stop stalking.

When stalkers aren't stopped, the worst can happen. We hear firsthand accounts of how serious this can become.

I talk to the parents of Alice Ruggles - murdered by her ex-boyfriend turned stalker, and Tracey Morgan, who's life has been destroyed by a stalking campaign lasting decades.

We hear of the threat to our safety, our lives, and how we and the police need to change how we think about stalking.

LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty shares her experience of being stalked, when a listener became obsessed and started to follow her. Stalking pushed her to the edge of coping. It's changed her forever and now she's trying to find a way to carry on. 
One in five women will be victims of stalking in their lifetime. We might think we're safe - but are we really? 

If you think you or someone around you is being stalked, please can the police or the national stalking helpline on 0808 802 0300.

Throughout this podcast we have talked to stalking charities and advice services, below are contact details for more information:

https://www.suzylamplugh.org/
https://www.paladinservice.co.uk/
https://www.alicerugglestrust.org/

Shelagh Fogarty began her LBC career as a guest presenter in 2014, and her balanced and calm presenting style soon earned her a permanent role. Heartbreakingly, it was this calm approach which led to the most harrowing ordeal of Shelagh's life, when a man stalked her for nearly 2 years.
In 2017, Shelagh began to notice the same face appearing in crowds, on the tube, outside her work. She dismissed it at first, but then the appearances became more and more frequent and noticeable - he was there when she met friends, when she travelled across London, at her local train station, and even when he followed her home.??The Followers is a 5-part LBC podcast series where Shelagh talks about the disturbing stages she went through during her stalking: dismissing it, fearing it, and feeling powerless as she was forced to live a limited life. The podcast also included conversations with experts and victims, looking at how societal views, misogyny and popular media tropes may be enabling stalkers to commit crimes without intervention.?
Shelagh wanted to tell her story and to speak with various experts to understand more about obsessive and controlling behaviour, to deal with what happened to her on a personal level and to help others identify the behaviour that can lead to stalking.
All 5 episodes will be available from July 4th exclusively on Global Player. Download it now from the App store or go to https://www.globalplayer.com
If you think you or someone you know is being stalked, please call the police or the National stalking helpline on 0808 802 0300