JUST one in four British adults are aware that a quarter of women experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, new research has shown.

While nearly 80 per cent of people would report physical abuse, just 39 per cent would report less obvious forms of domestic abuse such as coercive and controlling behaviour, the survey commissioned by the charity Refuge found.

Interim CEO at Refuge Abigail Ampofo said: “Domestic abuse often operates in the shadows, manifesting in subtle, insidious ways that are hard to recognise.

“As technology and cultural norms evolve, abuse becomes more difficult to spot.”

Refuge and the Co-operative Bank have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the many forms of domestic abuse to mark Women’s History Month.

“This campaign seeks to expose these hidden forms, using the voices of survivors to make the red flags impossible to ignore,” added Ms Ampofo.

“We want women to know they are not alone, and Refuge is here to support them.”