THE battle to stop domestic abuse across Wiltshire has stepped up a gear after Splitz Support Service began to apply the benefits of a £387,000 three-year lottery grant to its growing programme.

The charity, which employs more than 30 staff and supports more than 700 victims and their families each year, has also opened new offices in the White Horse Business Park, in Trowbridge, gaining much-needed extra space for its work.

The lottery grant will fund a voluntary programme that helps men to change harmful behaviour and provides sustainable funding to secure groups in two areas of the county.

The programme has an integrated Women’s Safety Service, which helps the partners and, in doing so, supports the whole family. The aim of the programme is to promote the safety of women and their children.

Splitz executive director Fran Lewis said: “It is a vital programme and we are delighted that we have been able to achieve financial support from the Big Lottery fund.

“The true extent of domestic abuse is an unknown quantity because so many incidences are never reported.”

Anyone who believes they are being abused by a partner and would like to speak confidentially to a member of the Splitz team should call 01225 775276.