THE Duchess of Cornwall has backed a new campaign raising awareness of domestic abuse in Dorset.

Camilla recorded a message introducing animated films created by Bournemouth University students to demonstrate different types of controlling and coercive behaviour.

In Dorset, police deal with an average of 459 reports of domestic abuse every month.

However, officers say the offence is often under reported, with many victims suffering in silence.

In some cases, victims may not realise the behaviour they are enduring is abusive.

Controlling and coercive behaviour was introduced as a criminal offence in 2015. It describes psychological and emotional abuse, but stops short of a physical assault.

Students created films 'cut your strings' to highlight the offence. The films cover three aspects of controlling behaviour - making serious threats, tracking and monitoring day-to-day activity and isolating someone from their friends and family.

The videos were played at a lecture by Dorset High Sheriff John Young on Wednesday night.

"I chose domestic abuse as the subject for the legal lecture this year, because having sat as a magistrate in Dorset since the 1980s, I have seen the treatment by law enforcement agencies of this behaviour change from being ‘a domestic’, and therefore something to be left well alone, to where we are now, which includes the non-violent offence of controlling and coercive behaviour," he said.

"The aim is to raise public awareness."

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan, who also chairs the Dorset Criminal Justice Board, said perpetrators can have "total control" of their victim's lives.

"Controlling or coercive behaviour can cause significant harm to victims and their children," he said.

"Perpetrators need to know that reports of this sort of abuse will be pursued and investigated."

Some of the information on the videos was voiced by actor Louiza Patikas, who plays Helen Titchener on The Archers.

The films were made through a partnership between Dorset High Sheriff John Young, the university, the Dorset Criminal Justice Board and the Safer Poole Partnership.

To watch the videos, visit cutyourstrings.co.uk

Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or those who know someone who is, can contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit dorsetforyou.com/dvahelp