COMMUNITY groups hope a new state government plan will cut Frankston's rising domestic violence - which accounted for 40 per cent of all local assaults last year.
The state government's three-year plan aims to curb all forms of violence against women and children.
As well as examining areas such as family violence and sexual assault, the plan will address cyberbullying, stalking, sexting and sex trafficking through prevention, early intervention and effective responses to violence that has occurred.
Frankston MP Geoff Shaw last week welcomed the launch of consultations with the Frankston community and interested groups on how to best develop the plan.
"While it is pleasing to know the total number of assaults in Frankston decreased over the last year, it's frightening to know the incidence of family violence increased," he said.
In 2010-11, Frankston had the highest number of family incidents attended by police in the southern metro police reporting region. Frankston also had the sixth-highest number of recorded family incidents of 79 towns in Victoria.
Peninsula Health program manager for child and family services Karen Anderson said 60 per cent of families who took part in the community health counselling program at Peninsula Health presented with issues relating to recovery from violence.
Family violence was a significant issue in the local community and Peninsula Health worked hard to prevent it by running support programs for victims of family violence and specific programs for men, Ms Anderson said.
The Peninsula Community Legal Centre offers legal advice to victims of violence in the home.
Principal lawyer Victoria Mullings said the centre had experienced an alarming 230 per cent jump in demand for its family violence duty lawyer service at the Frankston Magistrates Court over the past five years.
"Some part of this rise may be attributed to the centre increasing its duty lawyer services from one to three days per week. However, demand has continued to grow since that time, including a further increase of 14 per cent from 2009 to 2010."
The WAYSS welfare organisation works with Good Shepherd to provide support to victims of family violence on the Mornington Peninsula and in Hastings. The organisation's family violence outreach service helps families in Frankston, Casey, Cardinia and Dandenong.
A WAYSS spokeswoman said the agency worked with Victoria Police, which faxed through the details of women who may need support each time officers were called to a family violence case. This year the manager of women's services had already received a large number of faxes, most of them for Frankston.
Women who have experienced violence and the experts who help them have until March 23 to contribute to the plan. A submission form is available from dhs.vic.gov.au.
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