Women’s Aid reports 26% increase in calls to helpline
Support group Women's Aid has reported a 26% increase in calls to its domestic violence helpline last year.
The organisation said it responded to 13,000 calls in 2003, but could not deal with a further 6,000 women seeking help because of a lack of resources.
It said one-third of the calls related to physical abuse, 44% to emotional abuse and 13% to sexual abuse.
Women's Aid said 511 rapes within relationships were reported, while more than half the calls it received were from women who had never been in contact with the organisation before.
