Domestic violence workers want all victims to come forward

The group is publishing a Portuguese language version of its "Options" leaflet, providing information on domestic abuse and how to tackle it.

A leaflet has also been produced which is printed in Latvian.

More than 400 reports of domestic violence were made to Guernsey Police in 2003.

Forum chairwoman Pauline Allen said: "We were always aware that there were problems in ethnic communities in the UK, and we realised that we did have our own ethnic minorities here.

"The Portuguese have been here for a long time, they're part of our society, and they deserve the same level of protection."

Any victims of domestic violence are being urged to speak up about attacks by the forum and by Guernsey Police.