Women's Aid warn domestic abuse increases after Christmas Day

The extra stress in the run-up to Christmas is triggering “more frequent and, at times, more severe abuse” of women at the hands of their partners, a leading charity has said.

Women’s Aid warned that the abuse can ratchet up after Christmas Day, often because some women take the first steps to leave the relationship at that time.

The charity announced plans to make its national freephone helpline a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation from January 4.