Police have arrested more than 264 suspects in a week-long campaign to tackle domestic violence in London.

The drive is aimed at prolific and dangerous offenders responsible for violence in the home as well as offenders engaged in hate crime.

In one raid in Brixton early today a man in his late twenties was seized on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. The suspect, who is also being investigated for other assaults, was arrested in his flat after officers smashed through his front door in a dawn raid.

Scotland Yard says 10 per cent of the two million calls to police in London each year are related to domestic violence.

So far this year police in the capital have recorded 30,000 domestic violence offences.

Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne, who is in charge of Territorial Policing, said: “The scale of the violence and abuse caused by those in domestic relationships is shocking. About one third of all women will suffer some form of physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their partners.

“Suffering behind closed doors should not and cannot be ignored. We all have a responsibility to put a stop to domestic violence.”

The arrests have taken place in the first 36 hours of the campaign involving all 32 London boroughs. Mr Byrne said: “This is about enforcement against offenders but it is also about supporting victims and encouraging them to come forward and report crime so we can do something about it.

“Sadly there is an increase in offending in the run-up to Christmas and we are sending out a message to victims that we take this crime seriously and to offenders that we will take swift action.

“There is no place in London for domestic violence or those cowardly crimes committed because of someone’s race, religion, sexuality or disability. It is the offenders who should live in fear — of our knock at the door.”

Operation Athena will run until Friday and includes victim workshops and multi-agency drop-in centres.