'I can leave the house without feeling fearful'

"I can leave the house, I can drive around, I can go to work without feeling fearful with anxiety 24/7… a lot has changed," said Beth.

Beth, not her real name, had been stalked by her ex-partner for a year.

But with free legal support from the charity Norfolk Community Law Service (NCLS), she successfully applied for a non-molestation order – bringing the harassment to an end.

But the charity has warned that with growing demand and with funding harder to come by, it is struggling to pay for its domestic abuse advice service – which supports around 400 people a year.

The night after Beth won the case for the injunction was the first she had slept properly in months.

"The stalking and harassment had a profound impact," said Beth.

"I couldn't go to sleep at night without thinking about it, or waking up and it being the first thought in my mind."

• Details of support for domestic abuse are available at BBC Action Line

She was put in touch with NCLS, which has been running a domestic abuse advice service for around 16 years.

Providing free legal advice with volunteer solicitors, she was told she could apply for an order to stop the stalking – a daunting prospect - although she said she was "put at ease" by the team.

"I provided evidence, which meant scrolling through hundreds and hundreds of emails, text messages, videos, photos," explained Beth, who said she had begun to profoundly doubt herself.

"Every word I had a question on, they could answer me there and then - they validated my experience that had been going on in secret for over a year."

It was not an easy process and, although screens and separate entrances kept them apart, Beth did have to share a courtroom with her ex.

Ultimately though, she was successful and was awarded a non-molestation order – preventing further contact.

With the penalty for breaching such an order being up to five years in prison, it was a huge relief for Beth.

"I remember going to sleep and this, I'm pleased to say, has continued.

"I laid in my bed ready to go to sleep and my mind just wasn't heavy… it was a lovely experience just not having that weight or those thoughts whirling around my head."

However, NCLS has warned it is struggling to cover the £230,000 annual cost of running its domestic abuse service.

Based in Norwich, it suffered a significant blow when Norfolk's independent Police and Crime Commissioner, Sarah Taylor, said she would not repeat £35,000 of funding provided the previous year.

"We were astonished really that this service, which can help to prevent people from experiencing further domestic abuse, was not going to be supported anymore," said Tamsin Roques, manager of the domestic abuse service.

Taylor – who said NCLS did "a tremendous job bringing access to legal services" – said she had stepped in after an annual £46,000 grant from the Ministry of Justice came to an end.

But she said she could not do that again as her funding from the government had been reduced.

Taylor added she had been working with MPs to reverse cuts made to the legal aid system over a decade ago, which has put more pressure on services like NCLS.

Norfolk County Council has since agreed to provide £72,000 to NCLS over the next two years and Roques said she was "constantly looking at any other funding opportunities".

"We get calls every single day from people who are experiencing abuse and wanting to know what their legal options are," she said.

"It's absolutely essential that this service remains."

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