Cultural shift needed along with laws to protect women

Take a moment to think of five female friends or relatives close to you. Statistically one of these women will have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse from a male partner, writes Elaine Loughlin

There is no typical domestic violence victim, she is as likely to be the married mother-of-two at the school gate as the young student behind the till in your local supermarket, she is your friend, your neighbour, your doctor, the woman who helps you in the pharmacy, the woman you make eye contact with crossing the road, the woman who sits next to you in the office.