A recent survey conducted by YouGov has revealed that as many as one in three women in Britain have been the victim of domestic violence.

The survey findings have been released as part of a new domestic violence campaign launched by charity Refuge and the television programme Loose Women.

The survey also revealed that:

• Around 39% of domestic violence victims said that they hadn’t spoken to anyone about it. Reasons given by victims for keeping quiet included:
  • Not thinking it was serious enough (43%)
  • Believing it is a private matter between themselves and their partner (33%)
  • Believing it was a normal part of a relationship (14%)
  • Fear over not being taken seriously (11%)
• 65% of women thought that domestic violence was a consequence of someone losing their temper.

“Victims of domestic violence often feel trapped and isolated. They may feel ashamed of what has happened to them, or they may be fearful of speaking out,” explained Sandra Horley CBE, chief executive of Refuge. “The results from the survey confirm this – showing that 35% of women reported that they would not want anyone to know if they were experiencing domestic violence.”

“The survey also showed that domestic violence is still shrouded in myth and misunderstanding,” she added. “Many women believe that domestic violence is a private matter, and that it is caused when someone is unable to control their temper.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Domestic violence is all about power and control. It is purposeful, systematic, patterned behaviour designed to exert control over a partner.”

“The truth is that domestic violence is not a private matter,” she concluded. “It is a huge social issue that affects the whole of our society. We all have a role to play in ending this horrific crime – and we must start by speaking out about it.”

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