WILTSHIRE'S chief crown prosecutor has called for a tougher line to be taken on the perpetrators of domestic violence.

Nick Hawkins describes domestic violence as the scourge of society. He believes the days of people viewing the crime as a private matter which could be swept under the carpet were now long gone.

"There was a time when society considered violence within the home to be a private matter, of little concern to the courts, criminal or civil," he said. "The expression 'rule of thumb' was derived from the practice of a man being allowed to beat his wife with a stick provided it was no thicker than his thumb.

"The classic example of a leading question in law schools was 'when did you stop beating your wife?'"

Domestic violence accounts for a quarter of reported violent crime and it is overwhelmingly perpetuated by men on women. Every week there are two domestic homicides in England and Wales.

The subject has been placed in the spotlight by the BBC soap opera EastEnders, where the character Little Mo has been attacked and raped by her husband Trevor.

"We have suffered such crimes in Wiltshire in the last year," said Mr Hawkins.

"Just as there has been a sea change in how society now views those who drink and drive, there needs to be a similar sea change in how society views those who are violent or abusive within their personal relationships.

"The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considers domestic violence to be an aggravating feature in a case because it amounts to a fundamental breach of trust and because of the terrible effect such violence has on women and children.

"All of my prosecutors and I have been involved in prosecuting cases of domestic violence.

"Some of these offences involved death or serious injury, and many of those were the culmination of years of violence, court appearances and sentences."

The new policy on prosecuting cases of domestic violence was officially brought in at the end of last month and comes as a result of extensive consultation both within the CPS and externally with agencies such as the police, judges, Women's Aid Federation, Refuge, Victim Support, the NSPCC and the Law Society.

"They gave us positive and constructive views on how we could improve the prosecution process for victims of domestic violence, and thereby hold defendants accountable for their actions," said Mr Hawkins.

The new policy focuses on victims' priorities, the read-across to civil cases, and building cases, wherever possible, on the basis of evidence other than that of the victim.

"Our definition of domestic violence is any criminal offence arising out of physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse by one person against a current or former partner in a close relationship, or against a current or former family member," he said.

"And although it is sometimes suggested that certain types of behaviour are more acceptable within some communities than others, we firmly believe that cultural difference is not a reason for failing to protect minority ethnic community victims of domestic violence."

Wiltshire CPS feels so strongly about domestic violence it has employed a dedicated lawyer to oversee such cases.

Mr Hawkins said: "I have appointed one of my prosecutors, Stacey Turner, as a domestic violence co-ordinator for the county and she sits on a national network of prosecutors to share good practice. We have always taken offences of domestic violence seriously and will continue to do so."