Derry City Council is unveiling a new policy to raise awareness within its own staff and among other organisations.

Londonderry had the highest number of incidents of domestic violence reported to the police last year.

Chairperson of the council's working party for the protection from domestic violence, Councillor Marie McDaid, said it was a growing problem.

This issue has been ignored or swept under the carpet for years

Marie McDaid Councillor

"We are the first employer in Northern Ireland to produce such a strategy," she said.

"This issue has been ignored or swept under the carpet for years. This document will be of considerable benefit to other employers and I would urge them follow our lead."

Issue guidelines

The council began studying the issue several months ago and its policy statement was sent out to almost 380 organisations for consultation.

The councillor added: "The city council is one of the biggest employers locally and we wanted to raise awareness of this issue among staff, put in place arrangements to support staff who come forward as victims of domestic violence and issue guidelines to managers, as well as training on how to deal with the issue.

"Last year, there were 1,336 domestic incidents reported in the Foyle area and a substantial number of those involved violence.

There are even more cases going unreported because there are people out in the community living in fear

Marie McDaid Councillor

"In the first three months of this year, just over 350 incidents have been reported and 151 of those involved violence. Violence against women accounted for 133 of those and the other 18 against men."

She said the most harmful abuse was carried out by men against women, but abuse could also occur by women against men and within same sex relationships.

"There are even more cases going unreported because there are people out in the community living in fear, just simply afraid to come forward and tell their story to the appropriate agencies," she said.

Verbal abuse

Figures show four women died as a result of domestic violence last year.

Two studies published earlier this year suggested nearly half of women have suffered domestic violence.

The studies, carried out in Dublin and east London and published in the British Medical Journal, also indicated many doctors may be failing to identify domestic abuse victims.

Both studies found about 40% of women questioned had experienced physical or verbal abuse in a relationship.

But only 4-5% had been asked by their GP if they had been hit, injured or abused by their partner.