Along with Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart and Darlington council leader Bill Dixon, I signed the White Ribbon pledge this morning.

The White Ribbon campaign is a global initiative to reduce the level of violence against women - and Darlington aims to become a White Ribbon town.

Councillor Dixon told the launch seminar that it is about changing culture and it reminded me of a shocking story which emerged at Darlington Magistrates Court in the 1980s.

A male magistrate had been hearing an assault case in which a man had punched his girlfriend.

I was in the courtroom when the magistrate told the defendant: "We don't expect a boyfriend to punch his girlfriend...slap her once or twice, but don't punch her."

Yes, unbelievable, isn't it? But he really said it - a magistrate.

Not surprisingly, the story made national news after being reported in The Northern Echo.

Admittedly, that was a long time ago, and progress has been made, but changes in attitude are still needed.

The statistics presented to this morning's seminar are frightening: * 45% of women in the UK have experienced some form of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

* Around 21% of girls experience some form of child sexual abuse.

* On average, two women a week in England and Wales are killed by a violent partner or ex-partner.

There is a long, long way to go but I wish the White Ribbon campaign every success.