Northampton domestic abuse survivor keen to help young people

Hannah Martin is keen to get involved with educating young people about behaviours that can lead to abusive relationships

A woman who endured 18 months of abuse by her violent ex-boyfriend is determined to educate young people about the early warning signs.

Hannah Martin, 33, from Northampton, was repeatedly assaulted by Hayden Wykes during their relationship.

She is now keen to help young men and women see the signs of abuse before adulthood.

Ms Martin believes that early intervention could result in "saving lives".

Ms Martin said she has overcome the ordeal and will not let it "ruin anymore" of her life

She said: "Teaching young people in school about the early signs is something I really want to get involved in because if we can nip it in the bud before it gets to teenage adulthood, then we might be saving lives.

"Abusers are normally narcissists and they don't see any fault in their behaviour. If we can get young men to recognise what they're doing is wrong, if they're starting to show early signs before they get to adulthood, they could try and nip their behaviours in the bud before they escalate."

Hayden Wykes was jailed at Northampton Crown Court for four years for his violent attacks

'Notice these signs and think'

Wykes was originally jailed for nearly four years after a three-hour attack on Ms Martin left her with broken ribs and wanting "to die".

Ms Martin secretly contacted a police domestic violence unit a few days later, which she called a "real risky decision".

Wykes is set to be released this month, having served just under two years.

Ms Martin said although there are parts of her that want to "run away and hide" she has been able to overcome the ordeal.

She said: "That was a part of my life that is never going to happen again. He is being released, but this is my home, my family's home.

"The police have been absolutely brilliant in supplying me with lots of different alarms for the house. I do feel really safe but I know that's not the case for a lot of women."

By recognising warning signs and harmful behaviours, Ms Martin said it could help young people recognise an abusive relationship.

She added: "You might think that it's love, but it's not. It's a term called love bombing.

"Before you get into a relationship, notice these signs and think, could this person be an abuser?"

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by domestic abuse or violence, BBC Action Line has a list of organisations that can help.