SOAP star Roxanne Pallett has launched a campaign urging women to look out for early warning signs of domestic abuse.

The Manchester-based Emmerdale actress has previously spoken out about her own experience of living in a violent relationship.

Now the 25-year old is the public face of a campaign by charity Refuge aimed at making women more aware of the techniques used by violent men to control them.

Roxanne, whose soap character Jo Sugden is currently the victim of domestic abuse by her husband, said: "Portraying a victim of domestic violence has been the biggest challenge I have ever faced as an actress.

"Playing the role has taken a huge emotional toll on me, but it's nothing to the pain, fear and torment experienced by the thousands of women Refuge supports every day.

"I have no doubt this campaign will give strength to many women who may be experiencing abuse now, or who may do so in the future, to reach out and get help."

Two women are killed every week by a current or former partner.

Among the early warning signs Refuge urged women to look out for were: the man cutting his partner off from family and friends and try to isolate her; humiliating or insulting her in front of others; constantly criticising her and telling her she could not cope without him.

Refuge chief executive Sandra Horley said women needed to be more aware of a partner's controlling behaviour.

She said: "It's all too easy for women to excuse their partner's possessive and jealous behaviour - but in so doing they run the risk of the abuse increasing in frequency and severity over time

"By understanding the signs early a woman is forewarned and forearmed."

More than eight out of 10 women interviewed by Refuge said they got no information about domestic violence when they were at school, though nearly all said they would have liked to have done so.

Carlisle-born Roxanne spoke out earlier this year after filming scenes of her Emmerdale character Jo Sugden being attacked.

Speaking of her own abusive relationship, she said: "My mum found out and it was only then that I thought, `This is it now I'm at a crossroads in my life where I can either continue in this spiral or I can get out'.

"And I'm a strong character and I'm confident and I'm quite assertive and if it can happen to me and it can happen to a character like Jo, it can happen to anyone. It happens to everyone in all shapes and sizes. It doesn't just happen to timid women in the corner."