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After Nigella, expert warns over treatment of women

June 20, 2013 15:30
Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson at Scott’s restaurant where Mr Saatchi was photographed gripping his wife’s neck (Photo: Xposure photos)

By

Sandy Rashty,

Sandy Rashty

2 min read

Sufferers of domestic abuse should seek help, and resist the temptation to deny the problem, a leading expert has warned.

Emma Bell, the executive director of Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA), advised women who fear they could be victims to “talk to someone. They should talk to a family member or a friend — someone they trust. They should then think about professional support. It’s an old cliché, but a problem shared really is a problem halved.”

She added that abuse affected women of all social classes. “There’s a big myth around abuse that it doesn’t happen if you’re rich, successful and educated. Abuse doesn’t discriminate against wealth, class, age or background.”

Ms Bell was speaking in the wake of an incident this week in which art collector Charles Saatchi was photographed gripping his wife, Nigella Lawson, by the throat and pinching her nose in what appeared to be a heated argument.