Obsession author Nicole Madigan on her experience of being stalked for three years

For three years, Nicole Madigan was stalked by a woman she didn’t even know. Now she is sharing her story in the hope it will help others.

I was washing dishes when the first message came through. My partner was drying, and we were lost in conversation following a day celebrating with family and friends. The message came from what looked to be a troll account on Facebook – no profile photo, an absurd name.

As my eyes processed the words on the small screen of my phone, I almost dropped it into the soapy water. It was vulgar. Cruel. Personal. Filled with expletives. Before I’d finished reading it, another three came through – Ding. Ding. Ding. All equally as horrific.

Journalist and author Nicole Madigan. Picture: Supplied

I was in shock. I had no idea who this person was, but they claimed to have once dated my partner. Within a few days, another barrage of messages came through. This time though, they were from a personal account, the sender’s identity now clear.

At the time, I didn’t realise I was being stalked. In fact, the word didn’t even enter my mind.

At first, I didn’t realise I was being stalked, but my understanding of the crime was misguided. Picture: Supplied

Was I scared? Definitely. But, like many people, my understanding of stalking was misguided: heavy breathing on the telephone, a stranger hiding in the bushes, stealing underwear from the clothesline.

And while these behaviours do amount to stalking, it encompasses so much more than that.

Over the next three years, I was subjected to countless abusive Facebook messages, humiliating public Instagram posts, defamatory online commentary and messages sent to my family.

‘Obsession’ is available for pre-order now. Picture: Pantera Press

At one point, my online identity was stolen, an account created in my name. Messages were sent, a fake conversation created, recorded via screen shots, and distributed.

The behaviour only escalated. What started as private messages to myself and the people I love, became a public assault, mostly through crass memes captioned with offensive content and derogatory hashtags. I was at risk of being identified. My address was posted online. She said she had moved to my suburb.

And while I eventually received help from police, for three long years, it was constant. Relentless. The sound of every notification turning my stomach into knots.

This is stalking.

You never know what’s coming next, or when. You don’t know where it’s going to come from. And you don’t know when it will stop.

OBSESSION A journalist and victim-survivor’s investigation into stalking by Nicole Madigan is out May 2 | Trade Paperback | Available in Ebook | $34.99 AUD | To pre-order click here.

Originally published as Obsession author Nicole Madigan on her experience of being stalked for three years