![\"Domestic](\"http:\/\/wordpress.satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/437\/2018\/12\/domestic_abuse_infographic.png\" "\\"Courtesy")
According to UK government figures from 2012, assault and domestic murders increase 25 per cent during the festive period and incidents go up by a third on Christmas Day itself.<\/p>\n
Domestic abuse is officially categorised as \u2018any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse. It can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional\u2019.<\/p>\n
The Longsight-based organisation Women\u2019s Voices focuses on helping women seek asylum, escape forced marriages and supports women in abusive relationships.<\/p>\n
Nayab Butt, a volunteer for the organisation, told NQ that sometimes cultural and family pressures prevent women from coming forward about domestic abuse.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cIn the community most women don\u2019t come forward because they\u2019re scared, or they think it\u2019s not normal to talk about [domestic abuse] or that they have been abused.<\/p>\n
\nMost of the women in the community don\u2019t accept that they\u2019ve been abused. They think that it\u2019s a normal thing and it runs in the family – they don\u2019t consider it domestic abuse<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
On the cyclical nature of domestic abuse, Nayab added: \u201cThey should come forward when they think they\u2019re being abused. If they have kids, they\u2019re learning from their mum. If they don\u2019t come forward the kids will think that it\u2019s normal \u2013 they\u2019ll adopt that same thinking from their family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, Women\u2019s Voices took part in the arts project Women Who Dare \u2013 promoting freedom of expression and giving a voice to the women of the Manchester Pakistani Community.<\/p>\n
Across all areas of the country, instances of domestic abuse related crime have significantly risen, meaning that the need for awareness and support are at an all-time high.<\/p>\n
Organisations such as End Violence Against Women have already called for a re-evaluation of Relationships and Sex Education in schools in an attempt to combat abuse, labelling the current programme as \u2018woefully inadequate\u2019.<\/p>\n