The increase indicates the role of family violence officers working in Hume, such as Broadmeadows Leading Senior Constable Raelene Conway, has become increasingly important in preventing recidivist behaviour.

Since Senior Constable Conway took on the role in April last year, the number of families she deals with has dropped from about 11 a month to three or four a month.

However, in the past quarter, the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court processed 715 intervention orders. It is expected to process 2900 orders by the end of the financial year, compared with 2411 cases last financial year.

Last quarter, Dandenong Magistrates Court processed 778 orders and Sunshine/Werribee magistrate courts 835 in total.

"Domestic violence is a large issue in Hume because of the socio-economic problems we have with poverty in the area," Senior Constable Conway said. "It's no particular race or age, it's right across the board."

She said alcohol and a lack of housing were the biggest issues contributing to the problem.

"It's a cycle for some people and they need police intervention to break that cycle," she said. "One family had been visited by us 25 times since 1998, but finally [the perpetrator] got the help he needed and got into programs he needed and [the family now] are a success story so far."

Police intervention often results in an intervention order.

"An intervention order puts stability and control back in people's lives," Senior Constable Conway said.

Dianella counselling psychologist Pamela Kox said about 70 to 80 per cent of her clients had been affected by family violence at one stage and about 97per cent of those were women.

"They are often referred to me with a diagnosis of depression or anxiety, but it doesn't take long once interviewing them to find out there's an underlying psychology of fear from a history of violence," Ms Kox said.