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A West Country woman has spoken of living in "constant" fear after a relationship breakdown ended with a court case and a restraining order.
Abuse survivor Bethany Eagle, from Newquay in Cornwall, has bravely spoken out about the "petrifying" reality of being stalked by an ex-partner.
The 43-year-old has shared her experience as a national domestic violence charity reveals a rise in reports of "digital violence", often incorporating 'stalkerware' to track victims.
Bethany ended a year-long relationship with her ex David Malone in January 2020, but his behaviour took a frightening turn.
She said he took long-range photos of her after their split and put a device on her car to track where she was going.
Bethany said she didn't find the tracker until months later, in November 2020, when her mechanic spotted the device.
The presence of the tracker explained how once, while out for a jog, Bethany had seen Malone in a car park and sprinted up cliffs to get away from him.
Days later, she said she received a circled photo of herself with the caption "that is you btw".
The incident left Bethany so shaken that she described being unable to sleep and would wake in the night with tremors.
Bethany said: "I was constantly petrified, it felt like his eyes were always on me.
"There are only a few days a week or month where I don't think about what happened to me."
David Malone was charged with stalking and pleaded guilty in May 2021. Malone, now aged 54 but then aged 49 and living in Newquay, appeared at Cornwall Magistrates' Court to admit the charge.
Frontline domestic abuse services at the charity Refuge have seen a significant rise in survivors reporting tech-facilitated and economic abuse.
The charity reports a 62% rise in referrals to their technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment team in the first nine months of 2025, compared to the same period last year.
More survivors have also reported concerns about hidden microphones and cameras in their homes.
Cleaning company owner Bethany said Refuge's data is "not surprising" as the technology is easy to come by and hard to spot.
She said: "So many people thought I was bonkers when I told them my ex had tracked me at the time.
"It was unheard of then, but nowadays it's something you have to think about when you meet someone new.
"Nowadays, I am always vigilant and less trusting because I'm aware of what people can do.
"The software you can buy is now so cheap and readily available, it's not just the highly advanced tech-savvy people that use it, it's also just your average Joe."
Refuge is calling on the Government to make tackling tech-facilitated abuse a key priority in its upcoming VAWG strategy, backed by dedicated, sustainable funding for specialist services.
Dame Nicole Jacobs, domestic abuse commissioner, described it as a huge concern and said the abuse can have a "devastating impact on a survivor's life".
She said: "There must be proper enforcement of and compliance with regulations which aim to protect victims and prevent harm online, as well as sustainable funding for the specialist services which provide much needed support."
Emma Pickering, head of the technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment team at Refuge, said: "The tools that can be weaponised against survivors are becoming increasingly accessible and affordable to perpetrators.
"This is why we urgently need a proactive policy approach, including regulation that ensures safety is built in by design, rather than harms being addressed as an afterthought.
"It's crucial to remember that what we see at Refuge is just the tip of the iceberg.
"Tech-facilitated abuse is highly underreported by police forces, statutory services and survivors themselves, meaning the true scale of this crisis is still largely hidden from view."
Refuge's National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24/7 on 0808 2000 247.
For further information and advice, visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk.
For support with tech-facilitated abuse, visit www.refugetechsafety.org.