WE all know that whatever politicians might say, our society is getting more and more violent.

But as programmes like TV's Crimewatch so often tell us, in an effort to reassure, a large percentage of victims are not selected at random - the offenders are known to them.

With one particular form of violence which will not go away there is no problem about identifying the culprit - he (for it is more usually male than female) considers himself to be the victim's nearest and dearest.

And despite big efforts to try to tackle the problem of domestic violence, attacks continue remorselessly in homes across East Lancashire.

Blackburn with Darwen Council set itself a target to reduce the percentage of victims suffering repeat attacks but an increasing spate of such crimes makes it look as if the battle will not be won.

Reluctance of victims to take the initiative in pursuing the matter to court is a major problem.

Women don't want to, because, quite simply, their economic situation means they have to continue living with the aggressor in the meantime - an impossible position.

Common sense dictates that figures will not significantly fall until women victims have a support network to remove them from an at-risk situation and until all of us consider their attackers as nothing less than the criminals they are.