A Peterborough woman, who was a victim of domestic abuse, says knowing the signs could save lives
It's as Crimestoppers is reminding people in Cambridgeshire of how to spot signs of domestic abuse as it could save someone's life
A woman from Peterborough, who was a victim of domestic abuse, says she was too ashamed to ask for help.
Crimestoppers is reminding people in Cambridgeshire of how to spot that domestic abuse could be happening to someone close to them.
If people don't take any notice of the signs, people could die
In 2023, the charity received over 4,000 reports on domestic abuse offences.
They are appealing for anyone who is aware of it happening to contact them 100% anonymously, as it can save lives.
They say that anyone can become a victim of domestic abuse, with 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experiencing it in their lifetime.
In too many cases, this results in death, with 2 women murdered by a current or former partner each week across the UK.
Often, children living in households are the unseen victims who carry this trauma throughout their lives.
That shame will keep you silent
Linda Huskisson set up the support service, Living Keys, for women who have experienced domestic abuse after experiencing abuse herself.
Linda said she tried to hide her suffering:
"He forced me into prostitution. I was in that trap for five years, and I hated every minute of it."
"I tried to commit suicide; I was beaten; I tried to run away."
"I went off to Bristol, but I didn't realise he had friends there who fed me back to him, and I got the beating of my life and ended up with a ruptured spleen."
"I tried to hide it. I loved my partner."
"I was hoping everything would change if I did this better; if I didn't answer back the way I do sometimes, he might change."
"But because it's not happening and because it's still going on, you start to feel ashamed and embarrassed."
"That shame will keep you silent."
"If people don't take any notice of the signs, people could die."
"If anybody is living next door or a couple of doors up from someone who's going through domestic abuse and you hear it, please, please, please call the police."
"It might be something; it might be nothing, but at the end of the day, you could be saving someone's life."
You could be saving someone's life
Some of the signs can include their partner putting them down in front of other people, they are constantly worried about making their partner angry, they have unexplained marks or injuries, and they’ve stopped spending time with friends and family.
A team of professionals working at the Crimestoppers national Contact Centre anonymise all information received – to ensure the person giving the details can never be identified - before passing it on to police to investigate.
Whether it is a neighbour, friend, work colleague, or relative, no one will ever know who provided the information.
It typically could take 35 assaults before they have the strength to speak up
Annabelle Goodenough, Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said:
“Every day we hear distressing stories from people who are doing the right thing and telling our charity anonymously when they think domestic abuse is happening."
“We know that victims sadly may be embarrassed, too scared and traumatised to seek help, and it typically could take 35 assaults before they have the strength to speak up."
"This could be for many different reasons; fear of losing their children; fear of losing their home; fear of not being believed; even thoughts that they are somehow to blame."
“Information, given to our charity from people across Cambridgeshire, helps law enforcement stop abuse and violence in the home."
"By working together, knowing the signs to spot and reporting what we know, we can help put a stop to domestic abuse and we can save lives.”