The number of people coming forward to a council after experiencing domestic abuse has rocketed by 178 per cent when compared with the same period last year.

Gemma Coward, the housing options team leader at Copeland Council, said: “We had a slow start in the pandemic, which was concerning for us because we do always have steady figures and are constantly dealing with risk cases.

“I felt concerned at the beginning, but we knew this was a national problem on the news and it was part of the Prime Minister’s briefings anyone suffering domestic abuse needs to come forward.”

Gemma believes a rise in people seeking help is positive.

“We had 78 clients come forward so far this year and it is increasing day-by-day.

“We are always trying to raise the profile along with the agencies we are working with to try and raise the point that any exponential rise shows the great job; we are doing that people are coming forward and we are getting people moved to safe accommodation and we can help them to long-term independence.”

For the first three quarters of 2019/20 the authority had 28 clients come to them due to domestic abuse. In the same period this year they had 78.

Although domestic abuse is broader than physical and sexual abuse, the number of crimes reported to Cumbria Constabulary in Copeland seems to follow the same trend.

The number of violent and sexual offences continued to increase between March and July, before August saw the second-fewest monthly figure for reported incidents, see left.

The signs of domestic abuse are not only physical, according to Gemma. “It’s not just black eyes, it is more often controlling and coercive behaviour.

“A lot of people don’t think they are victims but in lockdown, it has come to the fore as people can’t take it anymore.

"It is more emotional, not just physical. It can be stopping them seeing friends or family. A lot of people think it is just physical, it isn’t.”

There is no threshold for people to get the help they needed.

“Our officers intervene if that client wants to leave that home, there’s no threshold. We don’t say ‘come back when they’ve done this’, it is open-ended. We will see you on a case-by-case basis,” said Gemma.