This week sees the launch of a new campaign by Refuge, the national domestic violence charity.

Currently, two women a week are killed by a partner/ex-partner and 60,000 women are raped every year.

In Brighton and Hove, over 25,000 women experience repeat domestic violence as adults.

Last year 10,984 women in our city experienced physical and emotional violence, 2,736 women experienced sexual assault and 6,682 women were the focus of stalking.

Refuge's campaign is very much about bringing this issue out into the open, demanding action and encouraging women to seek help.

There are some excellent sources of advice and help locally - details are here if you or anyone you know needs them.

I will continue to do what I can to protect funding for services to help those that are subjected to gendered violence, improve the law so that individuals can be properly protected - and challenge some of the underlying causes of violence against women and girls in particular.

Please get in touch if you'd like more information.

Refuge have produced an incredibly powerful video that you can watch here and share with your friends and family.