TWO women a week are killed on average by their partners in the UK. And a quarter of all women suffer domestic violence at the hands of their partners. Among the most recent victims was Julie Tottle, from Kewstoke, near Weston-super-mare, whose husband was convicted of her murder in January.

These are shocking statistics, but fortunately for women in Bristol there is good help available through charities WomanKind or Next Link whose helpline staff take more than 2,000 calls per year from women in distress.

Ironically, the point when women decide to leave a violent relationship is the time when they are most in danger, and Julie Tottle's murder is a chilling reminder of that.

WomanKind manager Kyra Bond explains: "Women are most at risk when they intimate they are going to leave and statistics show us this.

"We have to really support women in thinking about how they can manage to leave without putting themselves and their families at risk."

This is where Next Link's crisis management steps in. A member of staff will drive to collect the woman and any children from their home and take them to one of five refuges in Bristol, which have places for 28 women and children, who can stay for up to six months.

During the year to March 2011, Next Link housed 110 families in its safe houses, though demand for its services far exceeds available resources.

When the crisis management team swings into action, timing is crucial, as there's often only a small window of opportunity, while the perpetrator is out. If need be the police will be involved.

But women must not assume they have no choice but to leave their home. Founder and director of Next Link for the past 12 years, Carol Metters, MBE, says: "Years ago we would say to women 'get out and we'll find you somewhere safe to go'.

"We still say that, but now we are also saying 'stay in your home and we'll give you help to get him out'. It depends how safe the woman feels at home, because obviously the perpetrator will know where she is.

"If women don't want to leave we'll send someone from our team to their home and we'll liaise with police to make it safe, get the locks changed and go to court with the woman that same day to get an injunction."

Those in healthy relationships will find it incredible that women sometimes put up with abuse for years. Why don't they just leave?

Kyra Bond explains: "Often the women who call our helpline don't even realise they are in an abusive relationship. The perpetrators are manipulative and because it is often a gradual process over a long period of time women may not even recognise the abuse.

"There is a slow erosion of self esteem. Victims feel a great sense of isolation, shame and humiliation; they think it is their fault.

"If you have grown up in a family where there is violence, you may think that is normal and you may be more likely to get into an abusive relationship. Part of what we do here is to break that cycle.

"We sometimes have women calling whose sons have grown up to be violent like their fathers and asylum seekers and women from cultures where women are oppressed are often victims, along with older and disabled women, particularly where the husband is their carer.

"However, violent abuse can happen to any women from any class or background. You wouldn't think that in this century and in this country women would suffer so much violence, but it is rife."

Carol Metters says that a large part of Next Link's work with survivors of domestic violence is building confidence. She explains: "If you've been beaten up enough you don't have a sense of self and often women think they aren't capable of doing anything like going out and getting a job. Actually that might not be true, but we do have women coming to us who have never handled money because their partner has been so controlling. Some women are even timed when they go out to the shop.

"If someone beats you up on the street you go to the police, but if someone you love does it and then says 'sorry, here are some flowers and I won't do it again', it's very different.

"These women have low self esteem and often feel a failure as a wife and mother. We have to rebuild confidence and provide support.

"We help them find accommodation after they leave the safe house, help with benefits, employment, parenting skills and finding schools and youth clubs for their children."

Of course, Next Link cannot intervene unless women ask for help, which is a very difficult step for victims. National statistics show that a woman is assaulted 35 times before her first call to the police.

Carol Metters continues: "Women often take a long time to tell anyone they've been hit, and an even longer time to seek help. If they come to us they will be believed and they won't be blamed. There's no shame in it. It happens to a lot of women, and on average two women a week are killed by violent partners, yet there is a silence about it. The sad thing is that all the deaths are preventable."