says a charity offering counselling and protection to battered women.

The Physical Abuse Centre bases the figure on the number of wives and girlfriends approaching its workers for help.

And the rise could be linked to drinking and drug abuse, it says.

The shock news will be discussed at two workshops on domestic and teen violence to be held by the PAC this week.

Community workers and experts will be gathering to compare notes and build links for the struggle against the problem.

"In the last couple of years the evidence has been of an increase in domestic violence of at least 25 percent, from the records in our organisation,'' said PAC board member Mrs. June Augustus.

"People come to us not always to stay in our safe house but for counselling and to talk about their problems.'' The reason for the rise, and how far it reflected more women coming forward, was difficult to find.

"But a lot of cases come to us where the batterers are either drinking or on drugs.'' The PAC aims to provide 24-hour counselling and short-term refuge in its safe house.

The recently-renovated home can house 15 people.

The centre also arranges cash aid and helps women go to Police. Under chairperson Mrs. Arlene Swan, it tries to help the whole family affected by domestic violence.

Batterers are counselled as well as victims.

"We're trying not to encourage them to leave home, we're trying to encourage the family to stay together,'' Mrs. Augustus said.

"But there are some cases we have no control over, they have gone too far, and it's come to the stage where there must be a prosecution, because the man have battered the woman so badly -- knocked her teeth out or broken her arm.'' Some women were unwilling to come to the shelter when they needed to, Mrs.

Augustus added.

One woman said she loved her home and could not bear to leave it, even though her safety was at risk.

Mrs. Augustus said some women call the centre at 2 or 3 a.m. and "just talk and talk and talk''.

Men battered by their wives were also helped. And not all violence is directly physical, she said.

One woman said her partner let his pitbull dog roam around her bed, knowing she was terrified of it.

Domestic violence experts from the US, Ms Judy Bittman and Ms Terri O'Sullivan, will address the PAC event on Wednesday and Thursday.

They work at Spouse Abuse Inc., a counselling/shelter service in Florida.

Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness will open the conference.