Jerry Hall has launched a free helpline for victims of child abuse, saying that she had lived in fear of her father for much of her life.

The model, and ex-wife of Mick Jagger, said that her father had been violent and prone to rages caused by wartime trauma. She said: "My father was a war hero and he had a lot of rages. I do know the trauma of living in fear. He has passed away but I forgive him."

The helpline will be called NAPAC, which stands for National Association for People Abused in Childhood, and will be based in Central London.

Hall said abuse as a child can traumatise the victim for life, adding: "NAPAC will make a great difference to the people whose trust was betrayed at such a young age. In most cases it's not until a person becomes an adult they feel able to talk about the problem."

The NAPAC support line number is 0800 0853330.