The head of a domestic abuse charity has spoken about how victims can escape their relationships after a Newmarket man murdered his wife.
Olubunmi Abodunde, 48, is to serve a minimum of 17 years of a life sentence behind bars for murdering 41-year-old mother-of-three Taiwo Abodunde.
Ipswich Crown Court heard the police were aware of domestic violence between Abodunde and his wife before he killed her last year.
Operational Manager of the Anglia Care Trust Amanda Page has given an insight into what victims of abuse can do to get help.
She said: “We know statistically when trying to leave a relationship it is the most dangerous time. We would always first and foremost recommend professional support.
“We have a 24 hour helpline that people can call anytime and the police are available.”
Ms Page added both men and women can be victims and not all abusive is violent.
She added: “What we deal with can range from coercive and controlling behaviour that is not necessarily easily recognised to the untrained eye right the way through to things which are very horrific."
She explained it can be difficult for someone in a relationship to see that it is abusive.
Ms Page said: “It doesn’t happen overnight. It can take a while for the behaviours to come out.
"The perpetrator will tell the victim continuously ‘people aren’t going to believe you, this isn’t abusive behaviour this is normal behaviour‘ and this can become believable."
Ms Page said sometimes the victim might reject help, not realising the danger they are in and urged those who wished to help a victim out of an abusive relationship to call the helpline if they need advice on how to explain the reality to the victim.
However, she added in Suffolk in particular men do not come forward readily: “We have a lower proportion of male victims compare to national statistics, male victims are a lot more hidden when it comes to coming forward and LGBT and minority groups too, including people from different cultures but that’s something that we’re constantly trying to increase.”
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