Battered men are to get their own support service in Brighton and Hove.

More than a quarter of the 2,500 people reporting physical or mental abuse and violence by partners in Brighton every year are men.

The Brighton and Hove police Anti Victimisation Unit (AVU) now wants to give them the same sort of help which battered women receive.

The unit is organising a meeting at which trained personnel will talk to male victims.

Christel Osmann, AVU domestic abuse case worker, said: "We want to know from them what kind of service they need and how we can best help them.

"We have received a report of a woman stubbing out cigarettes on the hand of her husband.

"Acts of violence and psychological abuse on men often go unreported because victims feel shy, embarrassed or ashamed.

"Women victims can take their children to refuges but men have nowhere and often stay in the home and put up with the abuse to be with their children."

Detective Inspector Graham Bartlett, head of the AVU, said: "We want to encourage male victims of domestic violence to come forward and we hope the meeting we are arranging will help us help them better."

Details of the meeting will be announced later.