Frightened of being found by abusive ex

[MollyWoppitt]

I've posted here before, not because I'm seeking attention but having left an abusive relationship and being on the 'road to recovery' I still have a lot of issues.

Briefly, in order to get away from my abusive ex safely I just left one day with no prior notice, put my most prized possessions including the dog in my car and left, after a few months of difficulty I've now found a new place to live which I'll be moving into in a couple of weeks time.

I'll be living in another part of the U.K. miles away from my ex and I've made every effort to prevent him from finding out my new address, however, I'm aware there are such things as 'tracing agencies' and now I've started to worry that he might use one of these to try and find me (paranoia I guess !), a couple of weeks after I left him I had to get the police involved when he started to make abusive phone to my sister and BIL, also nasty emails to me, they were sympathetic but apart from giving him a verbal warning they explained that they could actually charge or arrest him unless he started physically stalking me.

My question is...if he employed a tracing agency would he be able to find me, I've read somewhere that a tracing agency won't pass your address on without first approaching you but I don't know if this is truth or just hearsay.

Does anyone know ?

He's unlikely to find you OP. Surely tracing agencies will only give out information if you want to be traced. I've never heard of them, I'm assuming you use them if you've lost contact and want to build a relationship again, like on Long Lost Families?

Surely its still harassment even its online? I would look into that more, also keep a record of any contact your ex makes and any contact you have with police.

Re. tracing agencies, I have never heard of them so im not sure. I guess if he was really intent then he could use a private detective who could obtain your details.

@CrazyRatLover...yes if you use a tracing agency to find you they do have to ask your permission to pass your details on if they do find you, but there's always a chance a less scrupulous agency might not do that which is a bit worrying.
@disneylover367...yes the police were involved at one point, nasty emails are harassment but they can't do a great deal unless that person starts to follow you or turns up on your doorstep, basically a tracing agency is used to find people only whereas a detective agency will carry out surveillance to root out 'two timers' and suchlike.