A new guide aimed at helping victims of domestic violence was launched, alongside new funding for support services.
The launch, by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and the new Victims' Champion Sara Payne, was at a helpline for sufferers of domestic abuse.
The guide shows how friends and family-members can recognise if someone is suffering from domestic violence and sets out what practical support is available.
In order that victims don't feel trapped by an abuser's control over family finances, the Home Office has been working closely with the British Bankers' Association to agree additional banking support for victims.
This means, for example, that victims can open new independent accounts with a letter from a refuge manager confirming their circumstances, as opposed to the usual multiple proofs of identification which may be in the possession of, or access-controlled by the abuser. Victims can also open a new bank account giving just a PO Box as their new address - thus protecting them and their independence.
All this information and the guide will be available on a new Home Office webpage, at branches of Jobcentre Plus, GP surgeries and local crime fighting agencies.
Other measures outlined included:
It is estimated that domestic abuse affects an estimated 4.8 million women and 3.2 million men. These measures were announced in advance of a consultation on a major cross-government strategy to tackle Violence against Women focusing on: actions to prevent violence; challenging attitudes; and reducing the fear of serious violence that some women may feel.