IT is Valentine's Day and the shops are full of cards celebrating loving relationships. But what about women trapped in relationships disfigured by fear and violence?
Domestic violence is still a largely hidden problem, but surveys have revealed more than half a million violent incidents in England and Wales every year.
On average, two women are killed every week by their partners. We in the York area are no exception - the problem demands the time of many agencies such as Women's Aid, the police, The Rowntree Trust, probation service, social services, Rape Crisis and the NSPCC.
Valentine's Day has, for campaigners against domestic violence, become "V-Day" - a day to mark the continuing effort to stop violence against women. For more information or to join our campaign to eradicate this violence, go to www.amnesty.org.uk/svaw.
Don Phillips, Amnesty International York,
Cinder Lane, York.
Updated: 09:43 Monday, February 14, 2005
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