In a first here, a picture book aimed at encouraging children to speak up about family violence was launched yesterday.

Titled A Day With Bob, it tells the tale of a young boy named Bob who regularly witnesses his father beating up his mother.

Among the dilemmas Bob faces are whether to tell someone else about this family matter, and whether his family will break up if he reports his father's abuse.

Replete with colourful stickers and lift-the-flap pages, the picture book is designed in an interactive manner for children.

Through Bob's story, readers learn of the consequences of doing nothing, and how to seek help.

Around 25,000 copies of the book, which was launched by family violence specialist centre Pave and the Singapore Police Force, will be distributed to primary schools in the north.

Pave and the police are working with the Ministry of Education to distribute the book to all primary school pupils in Singapore.

A police spokesman said young children are particularly vulnerable as they may not be able to recognise abusive behaviour as forms of family violence.

"The book helps young children understand that family violence is not a private matter, and to identify telltale signs of family violence.

"It also educates them on the avenues for help, and encourages them to seek help early if they become a victim," the spokesman said.

Dr Sudha Nair, Pave's founder, said the impact of violence on children is well documented.

If children are not taught ways to seek help, these issues will go on unresolved, she added.

Research has shown that family violence continues through the generations.

Said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Sun Xueling in a speech at the launch: "There is a vicious inter-generational cycle of family violence: Children who witness their fathers hitting their mothers are 10 times more likely to abuse their future spouses."

Ms Sun also spoke of current government efforts to tackle family violence. These include providing victims legal recourse and social support services, raising public awareness and fostering greater collaboration and coordination among government agencies and community partners to help the victims.

"Each case is one too many. No one should fear going home," she said.