New help for victims of domestic violence

A national helpline to support women and children who are victims of domestic violence is to be set up through a deal between the Government and the charity Comic Relief.

The free helpline will offer instant advice to women trying to escape violence at home. It will help them to find a place in a refuge as well as work to ensure their safety.

The Government and Comic Relief are each providing £1m to set up the phone line. Barbara Roche, the minister for equality, announced yesterday the Government would spend a further £7m to establish new safe refuges for women and children around the country.

The scheme is designed to help more families who are forced out of homes and onto the street or into temporary accommodation by violent partners. Statistics show that, in the past three months, out of 33,640 families considered homeless, almost a quarter were because of a relationship breakdown – domestic violence was an issue in 7 out of 10.

Mrs Roche said: "Domestic violence is sadly all too common. One in four women are victims at some time in their life. It takes place in every community. There are absolutely no barriers of age, class or background for either its perpetrators or its victims."

The helpline, which has the support of the Prime Minister, was announced yesterday at a Women's Aid refuge in Hackney, east London. The Big Brother presenter and Comic Relief supporter Davina McCall said: "Far too many women struggle for years to cope with violence in the home."