The most-recent one was in Hampton Park.

"I would like to see a year when there isn't a murder," Mr Stowe said.

Some alarming statistics on domestic violence were revealed at a recent community forum in Berwick attended by welfare groups and police. Last month, Westernport Accommodation and Youth Support Services took in 43 women - accompanied by 53 children - classed as in "extreme danger'.

In the same month, the service received 133 referrals from police attending domestic violence incidents.

The Dandenong-based welfare centre covers the south-east region taking in Casey, Cardinia and Frankston.

"When police refer a case to us it's classed as serious," Mr Stowe said. "When they attend a callout, they have to fill out a risk assessment and if it adds up to a likelihood of ongoing violence they send us a notice for support intervention."

Mr Stowe said a lack of emergency crisis accommodation in the south-east meant private accommodation was being used to house victims.

Windermere family services manager Jan Donaldson told the forum that many women had endured up to seven incidents of abuse before they found the strength to get help.

Acting Sergeant Mick Hastings, of Casey's family violence response unit, said its seven

full-time members were deal-

ing with an average of 50 intervention applications a

week through Dandenong Court - with a further 150 reported cases of domestic violence in Casey.

He said police in his unit could not always get to court to support victims through their cases.

The forum's keynote speaker, Parliamentary Secretary for Justice, Brian Tee, outlined the family violence laws introduced into legislation in December.

Mr Tee said the Family Violence Protection Act would better serve victims and made the court process easier for them to deal with.

Casey's family violence adviser Sarah Blackmore said the new laws gave police more powers.

"If we attend a callout and we think someone is in danger of family violence we can remove the suspect and keep them on a holding charge.

Anyone who needs help with family violence can call the Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 1800015188, or the Men's Referral Service on 1800065973.