Violence behind closed doors

“ Your partner's silence no longer protects you” is the message behind the new MPS domestic violence advertising campaign to launched at Arsenal Football Club.

Two and a half times the capacity of Arsenal stadium equates to the number of domestic violence incidents recorded by the police in London last year (104,050).

These startling figures are compounded by the fact that one in four murders in the capital are domestic violence related.

The crime of domestic violence ranges from emotional abuse, controlling your partner's finances and social life, including cutting them off from family and friends, to rape and physical assault.

Domestic violence is an offence that cuts through all socio-economic groups, ages and backgrounds.

Deputy Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said:

"We understand how distressing it is if the person you love subjects you to physical and psychological abuse, and how hard it is to report them to the police. We are now able to take action against offenders even without the support of the victim. Abusers need to realise that the Metropolitan Police are making it harder for them to hide their crimes behind the closed doors of the home.

"Our research shows that almost eighty five percent of domestic violence abusers are men. Nearly sixty seven percent are aged between 21 and 40 and this advertising campaign is specifically targeted at them."

The campaign supports a new domestic violence protocol signed by the Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service in how to bring perpetrators to justice. Since the new agreement was signed there have been a number of successful prosecutions of this kind.

Targeted at men that carry out this crime, the powerful advertising campaign seeks to challenge attitudes and behaviour and emphasises that the Metropolitan Police Service are able to and will take action against abusers.

The message is simple. If you are a domestic violence abuser you can no longer hide behind your partner's fear.

Careful consideration has been given to the advertising locations. Posters will be placed in sites where people have time to reflect, including Underground cross tracks, tip up seats in taxicabs, and washroom panels in men's toilets in pubs, bars, restaurants and cinemas across the capital.

Research shows that a lot of men read newspapers ‘back to front' starting with the sports sections and adverts will be placed in the sports sections of the Evening Standard and Metro as well as their business sections.

Unexpected advertising sites will also be used as part of the integrated campaign including stickers in gym lockers, adverts in football programmes and advertising vans outside London football and rugby matches.

Keith Edelman, Managing Director Arsenal Football Club said, "We are delighted to be hosting the launch of the Metropolitan Police's advertising campaign into reducing the number of domestic violence incidents in London. There were 104,000 reported cases of domestic abuse in the capital alone last year - a staggering figure when you consider that is around two and a half times the capacity of Highbury.

“Everyone's home should be their haven and everyone has a right to be safe there. This campaign highlights the power police have when dealing with domestic violence which hopefully, will go a long way towards deterring those that commit such crimes. Everyone at Arsenal fully supports this worthwhile campaign."

Your friend or colleague could be abusing his partner. Why are you tolerating this? Report it to the police. You could save their life.