Around half a million Swedes are believed to be exposed to harassment and stalking, according to experts and figures from the Crime Prevention Council. In Nyhetsmorgon, Felix Åkerlund from Skellefteå and influencer Tilda Törnqvist talk about their experiences.
In 2020, Tilda Törnqvist started talking to a guy she met online and they talked on the phone daily. At first he was friendly, but after she sent him private photos, everything changed.
– I could have a thousand missed calls after work. Then I realized that this person is crazy, she says in Nyhetsmorgon.
When she tried to distance herself from him, he threatened to make her photos public.
– I was terrified. I deleted him everywhere, but he added me from different accounts for two years and harassed me, she says, adding:
– It is such anxiety.
It was the turning point for Tilda
When she called the police and tried to report him, the police said it would lead nowhere. The man who stalked her lived abroad.
Tilda Törnqvist has half a million followers on Tiktok, where she talked about her experiences. The harassment has not completely stopped yet, but has slowed down.
– Because I talked about it publicly, he doesn’t dare to get in touch.
Now she urges others who are involved in the same thing to break the shame and dare to talk about their experiences.
Felix’s stalker spread lies
Felix Åkerlund has also been involved with a stalker who over four years had his life destroyed by a person who threatened and spread lies about him. His story has now become documentary on SVT and he recognizes himself in the shame that Tilda describes.
– It’s terrible, you feel powerless in the whole thing. There was great shame in my body, I was ashamed of these claims. I built a facade and tried to shut everything out.
In 2016, his stalker started spreading rumors that Felix is a rapist and abuser of women. The stalker also contacted his employer and others in his environment.
– It was terrible.
Then he understood who it was
It was only when he met his current wife that they understood who it was.
– Then she exclaimed: You know who it is! Then it became crystal clear.
The stalker has stopped his harassment, but since they live in the same city, they often bump into each other. Felix has moved on in life but calls for better support and help from the police.
– The first time I contacted them I was laughed in the face and seen as guilty.
Only the third time was he taken more seriously and then he was also able to point out the culprit. That time the report led to a verdict.
– It’s four years I will never get back, I hope no one else will have to be part of this.
The expert’s tips for you who are exposed to stalking
Susanne Strand, associate professor of criminology, on how to think if you are the victim of stalking:
In two out of three cases, you know who the stalker is, but it is important not to make contact with the person.
Document what happens and make a timeline. It helps with registration.
File a police report again and again, don’t give up.
Talk to those close to you, seek support from friends and family.
Make a safety plan: It will be easier to deal with the harassment if you know what to do when the stalker contacts you.
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