In this powerful episode, we highlight the landmark UK case of Alex Skeel, a 21-year-old father from Bedfordshire who endured nine months of horrific abuse from his girlfriend Jordan Worth—the first woman convicted of coercive control. Meeting as teenagers in 2012, their relationship produced two daughters but descended into isolation, starvation, and brutal violence: Worth stabbed Alex with knives (severing tendons), hammered his skull, scalded him with boiling water (causing severe burns), and withheld food until he lost 56 kilograms, leaving him ten days from death. Rescued by police in June 2017 after neighbours heard screams, Alex's emaciated, scarred body shocked the medics. Worth pleaded guilty in 2018 to GBH and coercive control, receiving a 7.5-year sentence (released in 2022). We delve into her manipulative tactics of isolation, including fake death hoaxes and social media hijacking, and examine the ongoing trauma: permanent scars, therapy, and Alex's fight against male victim stigma as a ManKind Initiative ambassador. Discover how Worth's cruelty exemplifies the Dark Tetrad—Machiavellian manipulation, narcissistic control, psychopathic indifference, and sadistic pleasure—in a story that reshaped the understanding of abuse. Website – www.drfionagirkin.com Email – info@drfionagirkin.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drfionagirkin/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DrFionaGirkin X - https://x.com/drfionagirkin Reference List Daily Mail Online. (2019, February 18). Abused by my girlfriend: Alex Skeel reveals injuries from Jordan Worth. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6716559/Abused-girlfriend-Alex-Skeel-reveals-injuries-Jordan-Worth.html BBC News. (2018, April 17). Alex Skeel: Domestic abuse survivor was 'days from death'. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-43799850 Daily Mail Online. (2023, April 20). Evil girlfriend who starved and stabbed partner is engaged to new man after serving prison sentence. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11996031/Evil-girlfriend-starved-stabbed-partner-engaged-new-man-serving-prison-sentence.html BBC Three. (2019, February 19). Abused By My Girlfriend: Alex Skeel feared his partner Jordan Worth would kill him. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/81a8f303-5849-45b8-85a0-e8532b5d948b ITV Good Morning Britain. (n.d.). 'My abusive girlfriend threatened to kill me'. Retrieved from https://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/articles/alex-skeel-i-was-abused-by-my-girlfriend IMDb. (2019, February 17). Abused by My Girlfriend (TV Movie 2019). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9812676/ University of Salford News. (2018, April). Domestic violence doesn't just happen to women. Retrieved from https://news-archive.salford.ac.uk/news/articles/2018/domestic-violence-doesnt-just-happen-to-women.html The Independent. (2018, April 18). '10 days from death': Male domestic abuse survivor describes horrific ordeal as former girlfriend is jailed. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jordan-worth-domestic-abuse-alex-skeel-days-from-death-luton-crown-court-bedfordshire-a8309921.html Stephensons Solicitors LLP. (n.d.). First UK Conviction For Coercive Behaviour For A Female Offender. Retrieved from https://www.stephensons.co.uk/site/blog/family-law-blog/first-uk-conviction-for-coercive-behaviour-for-female-offender 1 in 3 Podcast. (2023, April 5). 6-Domestic Violence SURVIVOR: Alex Skeel. Retrieved from https://www.1in3podcast.com/6-domestic-violence-survivor-alex-skeel/ BBC Media Centre. (2019, August). Abused By My Girlfriend. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2019/08/abused-by-my-girlfriend The Mirror. (2019, February 22). How abusive Jordan Worth still had 'control' over Alex Skeel even AFTER arrest. Retrieved from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-abusive-jordan-worth-still-14037324 Reddit r/TrueCrimeDiscussion. (2024, January 29). *In 2016, 21-year-old Alex Skeel was brutally tortured, controlled, stabbed and abused by his girlfriend*. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1ae3388/in_2016_21yearold_alex_skeel_was_brutally/ Vocal Media Journal. (n.d.). The Alex Skeel Domestic Abuse Case. Retrieved from https://vocal.media/journal/the-alex-skeel-domestic-abuse-case
