About 2,000 Keighley children are affected by domestic violence, research has revealed.

The shock figure is among the findings of a report by the Keighley Domestic Violence Forum. It also shows that in 1997 Keighley police were called to 895 incidents of domestic violence.

And the total financial cost to Keighley's public of dealing with offenders and helping victims could exceed £2 million a year, it claims.

The report comes as the forum, in conjunction with schools and the youth service, prepares to launch a new project to support young people affected by domestic violence.

The venture - due to begin in April - is the latest in a series of successful initiatives run by the forum, which was established in 1988.

The forum works in close liaison with other bodies including the police, probation service and health authority.

Acting manager Ian Crosby said: "We hope the report will raise awareness of the issue and illustrate the extent of the problem.

"Hopefully, it will also help those holding the purse strings to make better-informed decisions. We need about £120,000 a year to maintain our work, and bids are being submitted to various places.

"Because domestic violence happens behind closed doors, the public generally has limited awareness of the issue and some people still see it as a private matter.

"With our latest project we hope to bring the subject into schools through the curriculum."

The forum receives around four new referrals a week, and it has a waiting list of more than 30 for its Worth Project which educates men away from violence. Its other projects include one especially for Asian women.

Det Con Jackie Doherty, domestic violence co-ordinator with Keighley police, said agencies are working hard together to combat the problem.

She adds that more advice than ever before is being made available to women, and violent partners can expect to be dealt with severely.

Det Con Doherty urged victims not to be afraid of reporting incidents.

"For some women the prospect of ringing the police is quite daunting," she said. "But we are getting feedback from women who have been dealt with by the police and we're receiving some very positive responses.

"People should not be frightened to come forward."

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