Welsh Women’s Aid announced that Rachel would be their new ambassador in 2015.

As well as raising awareness of the signs of domestic abuse, Rachel also revealed her intention to champion the organisation’s Children Matter programme, which aims to provide services to young people affected by abuse.

It is an issue that will always be close to the Newport local’s heart, as, just six weeks after her ex-husband shot her, her 16-year-old son Jack committed suicide.

“A programme like this could have saved Jack. If he’d been taught in schools that this wasn’t normal perhaps he would have sought help,” Rachel told Wales Online.

“Perhaps the authorities would have got involved earlier and given me the strength to leave.

“I tried to hide it from them but my sons saw the abuse. Both my sons were in the room one day when Darren strangled me.

“He was remorseful afterwards and would cry but he was manipulating us.”

Domestic violence survivor wants employers to watch out for these warning signs