Rhiannon Ingle
Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
More than half of women don't know a life-saving number they need to have saved in their phone.
According to a new survey conducted by Women’s Aid, a charity which provides a number of domestic abuse services, 53 percent of women in the UK aren't aware of a potentially life-saving domestic abuse lifeline for victims who are too frightened to speak out loud.
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The charity has just launched a new campaign, titled The Ignored Emergency, which aims to highlight the fact that domestic abuse is a national emergency that has been overlooked for far too long.
Women's Aid shines a light on the differences between various public safety campaigns, arguing public safety messages on house fires and car accidents have existed for decades, while domestic abuse has not been given the same treatment.
The charity also found that this is in spite of the fact that research suggests women are twice as likely to die at the hands of their partner than from smoke or gas inhalation, and over three times more likely to be killed by a partner than by not wearing a seatbelt.
You can watch their hard-hitting new campaign video below:
The team behind Women's Aid are now pointing potential domestic abuse victims towards an emergency line - something which 53 percent of women and 49 percent of all Brits aren't aware of.
The number in question is '999-55' and, if you ring it, local police will be able to track the caller and connect victims to an operator aware that the caller is unable to summon help.
Sarah Hill, chair of Women’s Aid, said: "The statistics are harrowing; one in four women experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and at least one woman a week is killed by a current or former partner.
"Silence can speak volumes, and this is one instance where that is particularly true.
"Society must come together and recognise domestic abuse as the emergency it is, equipped with the knowledge needed to stand up and protect lives."
Women’s Aid ambassador Michelle Griffith-Robinson added: "I hope that this important campaign, and the powerful films that have been created as part of it, will be a real eye-opener for our society.
"It’s time to stand up and take notice of the reality and prevalence of domestic abuse in this country.
"We need to come together to take action against this dangerous form of gender-based abuse to protect women and girls and save lives."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.