IN the first three weeks of March 2020 in the UK, 14 women and two children were killed as a result of domestic abuse - the highest rate for 11 years.

Almost one year on, and as Covid-19 restrictions remain in place, the charity Crimestoppers  is appealing for anyone who is aware of domestic abuse happening to contact it anonymously.

Last year, Crimestoppers – along with Refuge which runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline – saw a worrying rise in domestic abuse reports, largely put down to people being forced to remain at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

During lockdown, home isn’t always a safe place, as victims of domestic abuse are trapped with their abuser, with less chance to seek support from loved ones.

Information about domestic abuse in the North West increased to 732 reports between April and December 2020, this compared to 340 reports between April and December 2019.

The #YouAreNotPowerless campaign has been running this month across the North West and consists of a hard-hitting short video depicting various scenarios and is being promoted across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media channels.

Domestic abuse can be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial. Any adult can be a perpetrator, with one in four people reoffending. It affects one in four women and one in six men during their lifetime.

In too many cases, it results in death, with two women murdered by a current or former partner each week across the UK. One in five children witness domestic abuse, which can impact their physical, psychological and emotional well-being and development.

To report domestic abuse 100% anonymously, Crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in a simple and secure anonymous online form or call our 24/7 UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111, 365 days of the year. In an emergency, always call 999. Computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted them.