Domestic violence: the base of the iceberg

In 2011, the European Commission funded a 2-year project to raise awareness of domestic violence as part of the Daphne suite of programmes. Coventry University was the lead in the project that worked collaboratively with partners in Spain, France and Bulgaria. The project was entitled 'The Iceberg Project', which is a metaphor depicting the fact that much of the violence is hidden below the surface. A key part of the university's role was to conduct a literature review centred on the student population within universities, as young women aged 16-24 years old are the group most likely to experience domestic violence (Flately et al, 2010). Universities and students may play a key role in educating the future generation and eliminating domestic violence. Student midwives are uniquely placed to raise awareness and reduce the prevalence of domestic violence, as well as signpost victims to appropriate sources of support.