Plea to domestic attack victims

Victims of domestic violence, their families and friends are being urged to report attacks as justice bodies in Staffordshire seek to target such crimes.

The move follows the revelation that the county's police force dealt with more than 20,000 reports of domestic violence last year.

Figures show that one in four women become victims and many confide in friends, family or colleagues. The Staffordshire Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) is urging the people victims confide in to report attacks.

Board chairman David Swift said: "Violence in the family, or in the home, is an intensely personal abuse of trust. Reporting of domestic violence is increasing and the police, prosecutors and courts have revolutionised the way they work so that victims get the best service possible.

"But too many people are still letting friends, family or colleagues suffer in silence because they don't realise how much help and support is provided for victims.

"You can speak to us in confidence directly or ring the national domestic violence helpline."

Mr Swift said Staffordshire Police dealt with more than 20,000 reported incidents last year, one third of which were serious violent offences ranging from criminal damage to murder.

There are three specialist domestic violence courts in Staffordshire, in Cannock or Stafford, Burton upon Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Mr Swift said police officers conducted thorough incident recording and risk assessments for every incident.

Police work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, the courts, health service, local authority crime and disorder reduction partnerships and specialist bodies such as Victim Support Staffordshire, Women's Aid and child protection agencies.

The Staffordshire force has successfully trialled a new initiative in the Trent Valley division where officers download the conversations of 999 calls on to a CD, to be played to offenders in interview.