TWO probation officers from the region have been invited to speak at a European conference on domestic violence.

Mary Smith and Sue Gow, from Northumbria, will tell delegates about the Divert programme, for men convicted of abusing their partners.

The pair were chosen by Dutch police to represent England at the three-day conference in Utrecht, Holland.

The event, which starts today, will also include talks from Dutch government officials, and specialists from Holland, Austria, Spain, Sweden and Belgium.

Divert has been running since 1998 and involves sessions which look at violent attitudes and behaviour, and challenge the way offenders think and react to situations.

Ms Smith said: "Our attendance is a valuable opportunity, not only to represent England at a European conference, but also to promote the excellent work that is being done to tackle domestic violence here in the North-East."

She said the success of Divert lay in its partnership approach with women's groups, working with the victims to ensure they were not experiencing any further abuse.

"We also work closely with the NSPCC to ensure that the voices and needs of any children involved are taken into consideration," she said.

"The problem of domestic violence exists in all types of local communities and in all countries - it does not have boundaries."