Wakatipu Abuse Prevention Network manager Tina Mongston said cases in the past three years had trebled to 296 in the past year, up from 179 in 2006-07 and 97 in 2005-06.
Despite the increasing reported level of violence, due in part to better communication and reporting, including 230 referrals from the police last year, Ms Mongston said the community still did not acknowledge the severity of the problem.
"It is concerning, the [number of] people who still don't take family violence seriously," she said.
Of the 296 cases the abuse network dealt with last year, more than one third were alcohol-related and most occurred when children were present in the home.
A greater level of co-operation between the network and the police, with officers referring incidents they encountered, meant more people were getting help, she said.
But the level of violence and number of incidents continued to grow.
People continued to minimise it, referring to it as "family violence" as if that was less significant and somehow more acceptable.
"Tony Veitch's story is probably a prime example of people not labelling it as violence; rather it is labelled as 'just another domestic'."
Mr Veitch, a former TV and radio sports broadcaster, who resigned from TVNZ and the Radio Network yesterday, has admitted "lashing out in anger" during an argument with his former partner.
Many domestic violence victims did not go to the police and people needed to have an understanding of why they chose not to lay a complaint, Ms Mongston said.
"It is an extremely scary time for the victim. They can be placed in more danger by reporting to police or by obtaining protection orders.
"In New Zealand, we have had women murdered because they tried to do the 'right thing' andreport."
But no-one could protect victims 24 hours day, seven days a week, she said.
"[When someone has been viciously beaten] they will be scared and will do whatever to try and keep the perpetrator to a low bounce, even if it means keeping quiet."
Ms Mongston said she was dismayed by the the sympathy expressed by some for Mr Veitch.
"Until the attitudes change about violence in the home we are fighting an uphill battle."
Children from violent families suffered as well, with poor development, both in their social and learning development, she said.
"We need to improve outcomes for children living with violence at home and this can only be achieved if the appropriate agencies are made aware of these families."
That was why the network worked with the Queenstown police to ensure those who needed help were getting it and how more effective interventions were in place, she said.
Senior Sergeant John Fookes, of Queenstown, said while callouts to family violence incidents had not increased greatly during the past two years - with 139 in the past 12 months, up from 121 the previous 12 months - the Wakatipu network received self-referrals with which police were not involved.
However, police always treated family violence seriously, pressing charges, instead of trying to mediate, as was previously the practice.
"The fact that it is domestic violence should not make any difference," he said.
