The poster campaign encourages victims to get long term support

The move comes as a poster campaign urging victims to get long-term help is launched at four Derbyshire hospitals.

The "Torn" poster campaign is being run at hospitals in Derby and Chesterfield.

Specialist child protection nurse Kathy Webster said: "We want to help women and empower them to make safer choices about their lives."

In a three-month pilot scheme at Clay Cross, police took photographs of evidence of injuries at domestic abuse crime scenes.

Police say the scheme, which has been a success, will be now used county wide.

Ch Supt Debbie Kelly of Derbyshire Police said: "By taking the photographs and witness statements at the scene the Crown Prosecution Service gather enough evidence to actually continue the prosecution even if the victim refuses to turn up and give evidence themselves in person."

This survivor said she wishes she had contacted police sooner

It is estimated one in four women will suffer domestic abuse at some point in her life, but the victims are not all female - Derbyshire Police say 15% of reports of this kind of violence come from men.

The problem costs the NHS �1.2bn a year - a figure which prompted the service to join forces with Derbyshire Police in their campaign to help victims of abuse.

One woman, who suffered verbal and occasionally physical abuse for 18 years, said she wished she had contacted police earlier.

Asked to comment about the CPS pressing charges even if the victim withdrew a complaint, she said: "I think it's very good - I think a lot of the victims do want to do something but they're frightened."