Len Pennie: Scots poet reveals impact of domestic abuse and harassment, saying she 'feared for her life'

An award-winning Scottish poet has spoken for the first time about her experiences of domestic abuse.

Len Pennie is to feature on a new TV documentary that will recall her long-running ordeal with a former partner.

Pennie, 24, who is originally from Lanarkshire, has become one of Scotland’s biggest social media stars in recent years thanks to her “Scots Word of the Day” videos.

However, the BBC Disclosure documentary, which will be broadcast on March 11, will see Pennie discuss the impact of four years of abuse and harassment before her ex-partner, Gregor Monson, was convicted at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Pennie, who broke up her relationship after it turned violent, has written about her experiences of domestic abuse in her debut collection Poyums, which reached the number two spot on the UK non-fiction bestseller list after its release last month.

Pennie, a graduate of St Andrews University, tells the BBC documentary: “I've feared for my life. There was a time when he had shoved me and I was looking at him from the floor and I said 'I'm going to phone the police', and he said, 'do it, the police are going to laugh at you – they're going to laugh at you and they're not going to believe you'."

The documentary will explore how Monson left Pennie hundreds of voicemails, audio files and social media messages for nearly three years after their break-up. The poet was advised by the police to make her social media accounts private during their investigation.

Poet Len Pennie has just launched her debut collection.

Pennie said: "It was just constant. It was emails, calls, texts, everything, and it was just too much. So I block him, I block him, block him, but it kept coming. He continued to insert himself into my life. And it makes me feel terrified.

"It has had such a detrimental impact on my mental and physical health, the mental and physical health of my family, my financial situation, my job, my home situation. There's not a single aspect of my life that this doesn't poison and ruin."

Pennie did not give evidence in court after Manson pleaded guilty to a charge under the Domestic Abuse Act on the day a trial was due to start. She has paid tribute to the help and advice she has had from organisations like Action Against Stalking, Fife Women's Aid and Dundee Assist.

"There are people out there who will believe you and will listen to you and will fight for you,” she said.

Poet Len Pennie launched her debut collection at the National Library of Scotland last month. Picture: Neil Hanna

"There are external agencies who truly do fill in the gaps, and they truly do provide the support that you need because you can't do this alone.

"You can't fight this on your own. You should speak out if it happens, because it happens too much and it needs to change. I'm very relieved that it's finally over. I'm ready to just put it all behind me and get on with the rest of my life."

Pennie first came to prominence during the early months of the Covid pandemic thanks to her daily videos. She now has a combined audience of more than 1.5 million across her social media channels.

Her poetry work has explored issues around feminism, mental illness and the Scots language. She was named performer of the year at the Scots Language Awards in 2021.