Crooked Spire vicar's column: Domestic abuse victims may not come out of lockdown - unless someone else acts

Since 2014, on the first Tuesday in December, a vigil has been held at the Crooked Spire for those affected by domestic abuse – women, men, and children – and a wreath is laid at the end in memory of those who have died as a result of domestic abuse in the previous year.

The huge crowds who come for the Christmas Tree Festival contrast with the few who come for the Domestic Abuse Vigil.

It isn’t a very attractive subject, and that’s because it’s a very unattractive thing.

Chesterfield benefits from a wonderful umbrella organisation called the Elm Foundation, which is set up to deal with all aspects of abuse, from the traditional women’s refuge, all the way to trying to help violent abusers deal with their issues.

Hundreds – maybe thousands – of people are living in fear during the lockdown: some in fear of their lives, and not from Covid-19.

If you have any idea that abuse is going on, call the Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline on 08000 198 668 or go to www.derbyshiredomesticabusehelpline.co.uk

I hope that we will all find some way of coming out of this situation better than we were before it happened, and we pray for all who are affected directly by Covid-19, but there are others who simply may not come out of this lockdown at all unless someone else acts.