Nearly half of all women in Wales leave violent relationships only to continue to suffer at the hands of their ex-partners, research shows. Research by Welsh Women's Aid revealed 44% of victims who fled abusive partners were still targeted.
The figures were revealed after the murder of Tracey Jones, stabbed to death by her ex-partner Michael Evans.
She had left the father of her two sons 18 months before her death on Saturday.
Michael Evans forced his way into her brother's house in Empress Road, Wrexham. His body was later discovered in the garage of his home in Llay.
Elen Pierce, director of Welsh Women's Aid said: "Our research has found that 44% of victims are suffering at the hands of ex-partners".
It has emerged that Ms Jones had been with her ex-partner since they were teenagers and it was not until many years later that she left her family home and moved in with her brother Barry Jones, his wife Liz and their three children.
Her sons have urged anyone else suffering at the hands of their partner to contact police.
In a statement on Monday, they said: "Mum had done nothing wrong. She was just too frightened to leave the house because of all the threats and the punishment from him.
"She spent her whole life helping others yet she never helped herself."
Elen Pierce said the reality is that Ms Jones had obviously waited until her children have grown up before trying to make a new life.
She said: "I was really glad to hear the message that her sons have put out, that victims should seek help, contact the police, the Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline, the support services that are there.
"It's a year since the Domestic Violence Act became law - something we have warmly welcomed - and it's only now that the criminal justice system has the powers to tackle the issue."
She said Ms Jones was not on record as a victim of domestic violence - although she had got in touch once.
"She had made one phone call [but] we haven't been able to detect where she made that call," she added.
North Wales Police said they would receive around 6,000 reports of domestic violence this year. Of those, between 300 and 400 go to court.
"In a five-year period we've had 39 murders in north Wales - of those, 17 have been domestic abuse-related," said Insp Martin Pendleton.
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