Acacia’s eight-year ordeal nearing end as stalker will be charged in court
PETALING JAYA: After eight years of living in fear and looking over her shoulder, photographer Acacia Diana (pic) has finally found some relief.
A man who has been allegedly stalking her since 2016 will finally be charged in court under the new Section 507A of the Penal Code.
The man is alleged to have set up 30 social media accounts and even followed her to Britain, where she was studying.
He had also been arrested in London but managed to escape.
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The ordeal affected Acacia so badly that she still does not feel safe.
She will seek an interim protection order to make sure that her stalker stays away.
“There will always be a sense of fear that someone is watching you and can find you at anytime,” she said.
“I was very close to harming myself because I felt hopeless.
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“I know that the legal process is going to take a long time, so I’m mentally preparing for that.
“The support I have received from numerous strangers has given me hope to stay strong,” Acacia, who is now out of the country, said.
“I will seek the protection order and any necessary step to ensure that he does not come anywhere near me or my loved ones. It is also protection when I return to Malaysia.
“I will always be vigilant and cautious because of this. When I posted my story, it was a desperate cry for help, I was at my lowest low that week as he did not stop harassing me with lewd texts.”
In a series of tweets in July, Acacia had spoken about her ordeal which started in 2016 when she had a blog to document her travels.
She received weird comments from the man.
A year later, he approached her at a restaurant and told her he liked her work. Then the stalking began.
She claimed the man had visited her house in Malaysia while she was studying in Britain. Then, she found out that he had followed her there and even signed up for a class she was taking.
Besides messages proclaiming his love, he also sent her lewd messages, pictures of his private parts and one declaring that he “needed her” written in what appeared to be blood.
Acacia said the last time the man tried to contact her was on July 21 when he tweeted about his love for her.
Now that her stalker will finally be brought to court to face action under the new Section 507A of the Penal Code, she hopes other victims will not have to endure the same kind of distress.
“There’s a sense of relief that this has finally been handled lawfully. I am hoping the outcome will deter future harassers.
“Following my tweets, so many victims have reached out to me with similar stories.
“I am going back to Malaysia, scared and anxious, so my posts were a form of insurance in case he found me in KL and did something to me. Now, I am doing my best to stay as patient and calm as I can,” she said.
