NATALIE Griffiths knows all too well the price to be paid for living with a violent partner.

Beaten twice by her former partner, once in front of her five year old daughter, the 25-year-old's message to others in a similar situation is quite simple: 'don't put up with it and report it to the police straight away'.

We concur with that message.

Far too many women stay in violent relationships, believing they have no escape route.

But support is available from the moment of reporting the attack through the often traumatic court case.

It may be a difficult step to take but domestic violence is a crime and has to be treated as such.

Like so many in her situation Miss Griffiths gave her former partner a second chance after the first time he used violence against her.

Believing it was a one-off incident she never dreamed that William Patrick would hit her again.

But nine months later and following another attack the mother realised that this time she would have to report it to the police.

Now it is all over and her Patrick is where he should be which is behind bars for the attack.

Now Miss Griffiths can start to build her life again.