Domestic violence and sexual abuse - let's talk about it.

I am doing several days (and shifts) with local police. Lancashire's Crime Commissioner tells me they receive a high volume of calls for domestic violence. Whilst on patrol I attended a domestic violence call and experienced what our police staff face daily.

In England, two women are killed every week by a partner, while 25% will experience domestic violence at some point. It disproportionately affects women: 91% of victims are female.

I had a lady in my surgery last month whose life was controlled by her abusive partner. Sadly, it is often children who grow up suffering having witnessed such abuse.

I supported a Bill in Parliament that calls on the Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention (to combat violence against women everywhere). Abusive partners (male or female) should be prosecuted.

Two-thirds of domestic violence shelters now face closure, as a result of the Government's cut to housing benefit. Welfare cuts should never fall on the shoulders of victims of crime but they are. The cuts are leading to the closure of refuges or downgrading of advice centres, like HARV in Lancashire which I have campaigned to save.

I'm adamant that everything must be done to ensure domestic violence victims don't bear the brunt and I've already raised this with our Police and Crime Commissioner.

Across the world, one in three women will be subject to violence by a male partner. And, horrifically, 21% of children will experience sexual violence – the vast majority of whom are girls. Although girls are often abused in schools, working in someone else's home – for example as a domestic worker – can make them just as vulnerable to sexual harassment and violence.

It's an issue which I've become increasingly worried about. Last January, I wrote to the Indian High Commissioner to highlight the epidemic of child prostitution there and to express my concerns that not enough is being done to help the 1.2 million Indian children, many very young, exploited in the sex industry. I also remain really concerned that rape continues to be used as a weapon of war in central Africa particularly in the forgotten war fight between militias in Eastern Republic of Congo where rape occurs every day.

It is not right that people (women mainly) are abused. Their personal lives, their trust in others destroyed. Their bodies abused. It is wrong and we must support and help them.