HARDLY a day goes by without an incident of domestic violence being investigated by police in East Lancashire or dealt with in the courts.

But incidents which reach public attention are only part of the problem. Many more attacks go unreported because of fear by the victims that alerting the authorities will only make matters worse.

The damage caused by domestic violence does not only cause physical injury. Mental scars on children who have witnessed such acts often cast a shadow which will remain with them for the rest of their lives not to mention the affect on the women themselves.

The scale of the problem in an area like East Lancashire is shown by figures from Women's Aid.

Last year more than 16,000 victims contacted their Blackburn-based Wish Centre helpline for advice on what to do and more than 2,000 women used a drop in centre to get counselling, legal advice and other support.

The extent of domestic violence was also highlighted yesterday with the opening of a project carried out by volunteers from the Prince's Trust to turn a run-down yard into a safe haven for vulnerable women and children.

The project has produced a place where those seeking help at the Women's Aid Centre can relax while they plan a brighter future for themselves and their children.

It's the sort of work by volunteers that is being carried out week in, week out by the Prince's Trust across the country.

But even with the Trust's help and cash from lottery funding, Comic Relief and Children in Need the financial position of the Wish Centre is "dire."

That does not say much for the importance we put on ensuring that so many women remain victims of violence at home in the 21st century.