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Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 17:07
Officers want to underline the message that violence in the home is now treated as a serious crime and that a growing number of support services means victims have more places to which they can turn.
Domestic Violence Awareness Week starts on Monday with the aim of highlighting the many facets of the crime and promoting the high level of support available in the community.
Domestic abuse includes any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse, and can be psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional – and anyone can be a victim.
During the week symbolic white ribbons will be tied to a row of trees in Royal Avenue.
Attached to the ribbons will be information that people can detach and take away with them.
On Tuesday, director Ken Loach, pictured right, will be attending a film screening in the city as part of the awareness week.
The free screening of Ladybird, Ladybird, which tells the story of a couple's struggle to have a family, will be shown at the Little Theatre Cinema at 2pm.
There will be a question and answer session with Mr Loach, who used to live in Bath, after the film.
On Wednesday, there will be a candlelit vigil in honour of survivors of domestic violence.
The vigil will begin at 4.30pm in Bath Abbey, and will move past the Guildhall and back to the abbey for public readings. Anyone is welcome to join in, and bring a tealight in a jam jar to join the procession.
Chief Supt Gary Davies, the head of Bath police, said: "There is such a wide range of expert support out there to help victims with every aspect of their lives.
"We do everything in our power to encourage victims to accept the support we and our partners can offer and work with us to ensure the person subjecting them to violence or emotional abuse is brought to justice. We need victims to have the confidence and courage to come forward so we can work together to end the suffering they and their families endure."
For more information, contact the confidential helpline 0808 2000 247.
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