Women’s Aid patron raises vital awareness of domestic abuse

National domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid launched an awareness raising music video called Love Should Not Hurt, featuring Women's Aid patron Melanie Brown (Mel B from The Spice Girls) on May 14. The music release is by classical composer Fabio D’Andrea. Love Should Not Hurt is from British classical composer Fabio D’Andrea’s new album 24, and highlights the reality of domestic abuse through music and dance. Made in collaboration with Women’s Aid, the video was inspired by Melanie’s conversations with survivors of domestic abuse, and the impact of lockdown on women living with an abusive partner during the global pandemic. According to Women’s Aid report A Perfect Storm, 61% of survivors living with the abuser said that the abuse had worsened and more than two-thirds said they felt they had no one to turn to during lockdown. 10 women and two children were killed by men in the first two weeks of the lockdown (between 23 March and 6 April). This is three times higher than the average in England and Wales of three women killed every two weeks (ONS 2020).