The reality for victims as domestic abuse on the rise in the South West
Charities working to support people in abusive relationships say the number of people seeking help is on the rise.
According to domestic abuse charities, the number of people asking for help is higher than ever. The pandemic and cost of living crisis are thought to be adding to the problem.
A 999 call captured the moment Bristol businessman Alec Butt used weapons to strike the head and arms of Anna Butt, his ex-wife. Screaming can be heard in the background of the call.
The female caller says: “A man is attacking a woman quite violently behind my showroom. He’s pushing her and punching her in the face.
“He’s dragging the woman. It’s her ex-husband. He's going mad. He’s ripping her face to shreds. I think he’s got a knife. He’s smashing her in the face. He’s really hurting her.”
The call ends with the woman screaming “oh my god” over and over again, and saying: “We need an ambulance immediately.”
The 71-year-old hid behind the bins, crept up on Anna and repeatedly struck her outside her workplace on Whiteladies Road, Clifton. At the time, Butt said he wanted "to punish her for leaving him".
Butt was sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison.
In the past year, both Devon and Cornwall Police and Avon and Somerset Police both recorded nearly 22,000 cases of domestic abuse.
Chief Inspector Sharon Baker, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We’re seeing more people reporting, and I welcome that because it means that domestic abuse is being recognised and being reported more to those support services as well.
"Domestic abuse is really complex to investigate, it’s a real challenge for us."
Insp Baker was a victim of domestic abuse herself. She said: "I didn’t see it creeping up on me. Abuse can happen to anybody and if we’re speaking it out helps to remove those stereotypes and stigmas."
Sam Beckinsale, domestic abuse campaigner, experienced domestic abuse herself and she says this means she wants to do more to help others.
Sam said: "It’s about understanding and education. There’s a societal issue around this where we don’t talk about it and we need to bring that out into the open. I don’t think it’s taken seriously enough, I don’t think it’s fully understood."
On 25 July the government announced £8million will be going to charities across the country to support domestic abuse survivors. This is one top of the £230million Domestic Abuse Reduction Plan introduced at the end of last year to help survivors.
The government wants to deal with the problem in two ways - extra support for victims and tougher sentences for perpetrators.