The year has started with a number of violent attacks on women and children, highlighting once again the prevalence of domestic abuse in our communities and the dreadful consequences. On average, each week in England and Wales two women are murdered by a partner or former partner, and sometimes children are killed or injured too. That is not to say that all domestic abuse is perpetrated by men upon women, as we are well aware that women can be perpetrators too, and violent or abusive behaviour also occurs in gay and lesbian families. No type of family set-up can be…
