Statistics compiled by this newspaper's charity of the year have revealed the extent of violence against women.

Swale Action To End Domestic Violence (Sateda) has released data showing the concentrated pockets of abuse and the large number of households they are currently working with.

Of the total 1,465 clients on its books, 427 are on Sheppey, 520 in Sittingbourne and 174 in Faversham.

The remaining have undisclosed addresses.

The charity’s service director, Liza Thompson, says these figures are just the tip of the iceberg because they are only the victims who have sought help from the charity.

Mrs Thompson estimates the true number of women being physically and mentally mistreated in this area is much higher, with many victims too bullied and afraid to get help.

She said: “I definitely think there’s more victims out there – a lot of people don’t realise they’re in an abusive relationship and if they do realise, they don’t come forward because it’s scary to think about leaving the relationship.

“They are the ones that think, ‘better the devil you know’.

“It’s a well-known fact that lots of homicides happen after a relationship has ended.”

Sateda has also seen an alarming rise in youth referrals, although it has yet to collect data on the victims from the under-18 age group.

Mrs Thompson thinks there are a number of factors including the negative presentation of women and healthy relationships in popular culture.

“There is a spike with young people and domestic violence. There’s a culture where girls and boys think it’s okay to hit a woman who cheats on you, there’s [also] rise in gang culture – not necessarily here.

“We are now taking referrals from young people in domestic abusive relationships. We know some of them already have children at 14 – they are living an adult life, in adult relationships and that could be the reason why.”

The charity is now working to build its youth programmes in schools to address the issue of domestic violence when it is at a preventative stage. These are one of a number of projects the organisation will be starting and expanding in the coming months.

Sateda runs drop-in sessions at The Gateway, High Street, Sheerness, every Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm and at the Beaches Children’s Centre, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown, every Wednesday from 9.30am to 11am.