Coronavirus lockdown means abuse is getting worse, victim says

A woman suffering mental and physical abuse from her partner has told the BBC things have been "getting worse" for her since the coronavirus lockdown.

"Tara", who asked the BBC not to use her real name, has fled to a refuge.

She said she had been suffering for six months with her partner “isolating me from my family and friends… thinking I’m cheating on him when I’m with him all the time… just controlling”.

“I didn’t care if I didn’t wake up from the night before... I just knew what was going to happen the next day, I just wanted the days to go past."

The National Domestic Abuse helpline, run by the charity Refuge, has seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help since the UK went into lockdown.