VICTIMS of domestic violence in Darlington are being encouraged to seek legal help in a bid to reduce the number of incidents.

A leaflet was launched yesterday by the Legal Services Commission, in partnership with Darlington Domestic Violence Forum, to encourage greater awareness of the legal support available to people suffering at the hands of abusive partners.

It is hoped that it will help to curb the rise in incidence of reported domestic violence in the town, which has risen since the Domestic Violence Forum was established two years ago.

There was a 65 per cent increase in cases last year, compared with 1999, with a further five per cent rise recorded this year, which police have put down to under-reporting of incidents in 1999.

There were 1,444 cases in Darlington reported to police between August last year and July this year.

The legal advice leaflet, called Safe at Home? gives victims advice about which agencies can help them, how an injunction works, how to protect their children, the cost of legal help and lists of solicitors and other groups which can be of assistance.

Les Courtnell, regional director of the Legal Services Commission, launched the leaflet at the annual meeting of Darlington Domestic Violence Forum.

He explained that when the Government launched the Legal Services Commission last year, it was given powers to look into problems including domestic violence and consider ways to tackle them.

"In launching this leaflet, I just hope women and anyone suffering domestic violence are able to cut out that cycle of violence and access legal services more quickly," he said.

Secretary of State for Health and Darlington MP Alan Milburn congratulated the forum and Legal Services Commission on the leaflet and the work that was already being done to change attitudes towards domestic violence.

"The cycle can only be broken if we change people's behaviour," he said.

"Where drink-driving was once considered by some as a bit of a prank, it is now regarded as a really shameful activity, and we have to achieve that for domestic violence. It is shameful, it is a crime, and there are no excuses.