The dramatic spike in domestic violence reported to Jewish Women's Aid should make our community stop and think.

First, renewed kudos to the charity itself, which has patiently plugged away at its core mission: telling women that no matter how old they are or how long they have been in a marriage or relationship, domestic violence is never acceptable. JWA is there to provide an informed, sympathetic and listening ear and, where necessary, shelter for victims and their children.

The myth that Jews do not engage in domestic violence is, sadly, just that: one in four women will experience emotional or physical assault, a statistic that exactly mirrors the national situation. More incidents are certainly being reported, which accounts for the 300 per cent rise over last year. But there is still, the police say, a marked reluctance by many women to report their situation. They do not have confidence in the police or the legal system, or believe that the Crown Prosecution Service will actually launch prosecutions.

Only when violently abusive partners are made to pay for their crimes as a matter of course will more women begin to feel secure.