Shocking figures reflecting the level of domestic violence in Bermuda were broadcast from the steps of City Hall during a message on the importance of teaching children that it is wrong to use their hands to hit and hurt others.

In the past decade there have been 27 cases of murder or manslaughter on the Island, 18 attempted murders and 551 types of assault involving grievous bodily harm.

And that is likely to be only the tip of the problem as many cases are likely to have been unreported, said Pastor Clarkie Minors, one of the guest speakers on the steps of City Hall for the ?Hands are not for Hitting? day of awareness.

Youngsters from four nursery schools sat on the steps with their hand-made banners and listened as Senator Raymond Tannock read extracts from the children?s book ?Hands are not for Hitting? and gave his own view of why domestic violence is wrong and why it?s important for today?s youngsters to learn that message as they are growing up.

But it was Rev. Minors ? a former policeman ? who delivered the hard-hitting statistics to illustrate the level of violence, much of it domestic, that troubles Bermuda today.

He said that between 1987 to 1999 there were 18 murders in Bermuda directly attributed to domestic violence and five of the victims were children.

?Domestic violence endangers children, harms families and threatens communities,? said Rev. Minors. ?Children who are subjected to domestic violence often grow up to inflict it on others.?

Sen. Tannock said he had personal experience of the hurt and grief that comes from violent behaviour, telling those at City Hall that a cousin of his and her two children had been murdered, and recently his wife?s nephew had been shot dead.

?Today we are here to present ?Hands are not for Hitting?, this is primarily to the children and it is a training tool,? said Sen. Tannock.

?There has been over 600 reports of domestic violence since 1996 and in my opinion that is extremely high and I believe the true number is much higher because many people do not report all the cases.

?In such a small community as ours every grievous incident has an effect on us all because we know one another so well. In many cases we forget the effect it has on our children.

?Domestic violence affects children in many ways ? toddlers may have nightmares, teenagers may experience poor grades or may run away from home or have low self-esteem.?

Sen. Tannock went on: ?However, we are now in an age where we are more enlightened and ask people to come forward to seek help.?

The senator said the Hands are not for Hitting programme aimed to address the issues of domestic violence and how it impacts children and their future attitudes.

The event was staged by the Physical Abuse Centre whose director Arlene Smith was unable to attend because of illness but who sent a message which was read out by programme co-ordinator Roseana Vickers, she said: ?Children are our present. If we teach them early then our future is sound.?

Melody Grant sang two songs to the youngsters from the First Church of God nursery, Kiddie Academy, Academy at Woodlands and Kidds Kollege during the awareness day event.