Ruth Dodsworth 'overwhelmed' by domestic abuse messages

Ruth Dodsworth hopes to inspire other domestic abuse victims to seek help

An ITV Wales presenter harassed by her husband for years says she has been overwhelmed with thousands of messages from people suffering domestic abuse.

Ruth Dodsworth's husband was jailed in April for coercive and controlling behaviour and stalking.

She urged people to speak out during an interview with Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme.

"Most overwhelming to me are the number of people who have been through similar," said Ms Dodsworth.

"It's just been heartbreakingly eye opening and I had no idea."

Among the hand-written letters and messages was one from an 85-year-old woman who had "spent her whole life living in fear" of her husband prior to his death.

"There are so many people going through similar stories," said Ms Dodsworth.

"I have been overwhelmed by the response. Tens, possibly now, hundreds of thousands of messages," she told the radio programme.

• Presenter's abuse becoming public 'was best thing'

Her ex-husband, Jonathan Wignall, 54, was jailed for three years for his actions which included putting a tracker on her car.

Cardiff Crown Court was told his controlling behaviour began in about 2010 when the couple moved from Swansea to Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan.

He was said to have called his wife "incessantly", would open her mail and stand outside the door as she used the bathroom.

When he was arrested on suspicion of harassment, he told police: "Harassment? But she's my wife."

He was later released on bail on condition he did not contact Ms Dodsworth, but messages he sent to family members raised suspicions that he had planted a tracker on her car.

'You can have a life'

Ms Dodsworth told the radio programme her life started to change once she spoke to a confidant who advised her to contact the police.

She admitted she had been "terrified" at the thought of speaking up but said she had found the "system worked" after calling the police.

Ms Dodsworth advised people suffering domestic abuse to "find the courage, find somebody, just ask for help".

"If I can just encourage one person to ring for help, to call for help, to take those first steps, you will never look back," she said.

"No one will hurt you again. And that, more than anything, is just really what I wanted to say. You can have a life."

BBC Action Line: Information and Support - Domestic Abuse