It is fitting that on White Ribbon Day, an International Day dedicated to opposition to violence against women, a government campaign to combat domestic violence among young people is announced.

Although it is good to see the government responding to what is an under-publicised issue, some have argued that its initiatives do not go far enough. Chief executive of Refuge, Sandra Horley, greeted today’s announcement with some reservations: "Whilst we welcome the government's new strategy... Refuge is disappointed that it is not underpinned by sufficient funding to make a real difference to abused women and girls. Many refuges and other women's services are at risk of closure ... and a third of local authorities provide no domestic violence services whatsoever.”

Research revealing that a quarter of 13-17 year olds with boyfriends admit to suffering physical violence from them, for instance being slapped, punched, or beaten, lends weight to Horley’s point.

While, predictably, some will respond to the news that lessons on equality and domestic violence will be incorporated in the primary-school curriculum with hand-wringing over a lost age of innocence, it is important to face up to reality. Obviously such classes must be tailored to the age-group concerned, but to cling to the idea that these ‘nasty’ issues should be hidden from young children is to bury our heads in the sand, and potentially expose them to greater risk as they themselves grow up and enter into relationships.