Coronavirus: Partner's abuse 'out of control' in lockdown

A woman has described the terror of living with her abusive partner after his behaviour spiralled out of control during the coronavirus lockdown.

Jayne said there had been problems for a while but when the lockdown happened she had no escape.

She said: "He was drinking all the time and took my phone off me so I couldn't speak to anyone. I was terrified."

With the help of charity Calderdale Smartmove in Halifax she has now left and is in safe accommodation.

Jayne said when the lockdown happened last month her partner started drinking all the time and would get angry, lashing out at her over the smallest thing.

She said "things came to a head" last Friday after he accused of her seeing somebody else, which she denied.

"He pulled me by my hair to the ground and started kicking me in the face and body.

"I don't remember much else. I think I passed out."

After a neighbour contacted police, her partner was arrested and Jayne was put in touch with the charity which found her somewhere to live later that day.

Stuart Rumney, the charity's chief executive, said there had been a big increase in the number of people like Jayne seeking help since the lockdown.

It has supported seven women over the last four weeks, compared to previous months where it usually helped out one person.

West Yorkshire Police said between the lockdown period - 17 March to 19 April - it had responded to to 6,704 domestic abuse calls - a rise of 1.2% compared to the previous month.

However, Det Ch Insp Dave Cowley said those figures "may still not represent the whole picture" and urged anyone experiencing domestic abuse to contact police.

He added: "If you can't talk because the perpetrator is nearby, you can press the numbers 55 into your mobile phone, which will alert the operator of your circumstances."

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