Abuse survivor inspired by Coronation Street storyline urges victims to seek help amid rise in rates
Rachel Bullock investigates the scale of violence against women in the North East for this special report
A victim of domestic abuse says she was inspired to seek help after watching a storyline on the subject on Coronation Street.
Becky, not her real name, has been sharing her experience of abuse as she urged other victims to recognise their "worth" and access support.
Speaking to ITV Tyne Tees as rates of domestic abuse-related offences rise across the North East, the mum said she did not report her abusive partner to the police as her self-confidence had been "destroyed".
"I was told where I could go, who I could see," she explained. "In the end, I couldn't go out. [My partner] was trying to cause arguments in front of our child.
"On the surface, he was a gentleman, a good job, family orientated. But the abuse was exhausting"
But it was thanks to a storyline on the cobbles of ITV's long-running soap opera that prompted Becky to act.
"It was a massive eye-opener because I could identify the behaviours," she continued. "I think some women don't want to admit that their relationship isn't what they post on Instagram or Facebook.
"But you're a lot stronger than you think, and there are so many organisations who can help you. Your life is worth a lot more than he makes you feel it is."
Becky's story comes as the most recent data from the Office Of National Statistics shows the North East has some of the highest rates of violence against the person, classed as domestic abuse-related offences.
Last year, Cleveland Police recorded 24.5 cases of domestic abuse per 1,000 people - placing the force with the second highest rate in England and Wales.
Meanwhile, Northumbria Police recorded 18 per 1,000, Durham Police recorded 19.6 per 1,000 and North Yorkshire Police handled 10.3.
Despite these stark figures, Becky believes they only scratch the surface.
"I think it's a lot more common than the stats show because a lot of women still have that fear of coming forward," she said.
And WWIN, the specialist domestic abuse service which supported her, told ITV Tyne Tees that referrals this year are at a record high.
The new Labour government describes the scale of the problem as a national emergency and for the first time has appointed a minister specifically to tackle violence against women and girls.
Jess Phillips is that minister and, in the past, she has read the names of murdered women and girls in Parliament.
She told ITV Tyne Tees: "The future is here. The women and girls in our country have made it completely clear that they don't feel safe.
"The rates of domestic abuse, sexual violence, exploitation, stalking I wouldn't expect to see an enormous spike if we if we didn't do anything because we're at the point of enormous spike."
The Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls is also looking at the issue from the other end of the justice process - sentencing.
"I think that if you were to look at the kind of sentences that are given out in some of the worst cases of abuses against women, girls, there is undoubtedly a piece of work that has to be done around sentencing," she continued.
"And the Lord Chancellor has announced that she will do a sentencing review and absolutely what will be being fed into that sentencing review is some of the the clear discrepancies when the victims of those crimes are women."
Someone who knows all too well the pain of losing a loved one at the hands of a man - and has battled the justice system herself - is Doreen Soulsby.
Her daughter Joanne Tulip was 29 when her body was found in Northumberland on Christmas day in 1997. She had been stabbed 60 times by Steven Ling.
The loss of her daughter in such a brutal way has brought Doreen a lifetime of anguish.
"At lunchtime when everybody's eating their Christmas lunch, we were identifying Joanne," she said. "Even after all this time, I cannot have a Christmas Day with my family.
"We don't send cards. We don't do presents. Though we usually go away abroad somewhere just to get away from it. But I always have to be back for Christmas Eve to be with Joanne by a grave, because as a mother, I feel I'm letting her down if I'm not there for her, even now, 27 years later."
Adding further to her pain, last month Joanne's murderer was granted parole, meaning he will be freed after 26 years behind bars.
The bereaved mother believes this places other women in danger.
Joanne joins the ongoing roll call of women and girls who have been killed by men or boys in the North East including in recent years Holly Newton, Melissa Eastick and Alice Ruggles.
Figures show around one woman is killed every three days by men.
It is widely agreed that a lot of violence against women and girls develops in or from a personal relationship, so the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is deliberately broad, including crimes such as sexual assault and coercive control.
The government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls within the next 10 years.
As Becky encourages victims to seek support, those who supported her have welcomed the government's commitment.
Laura Seabohm, from WWIN, said: "Every government department, every minister, will need to think about domestic abuse within their particular work-stream. And we think that's got to be a good thing.
"There might also be greater opportunities to fund things like preventative work, really go upstream and work with children and young people around domestic abuse to really prevent any perpetrators for the future."
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse - you can find support and advice here.
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