There has been an unprecedented rise in the number of women putting calls into domestic violence support hotlines, industry workers say.

DV Connect, a 24-hour domestic violence telephone service operated in Queensland, reported receiving about 2,000 calls in the four days following New Year's Day.

Chief executive Diane Mangan said that was almost triple the number of calls received in the same period last year.

"I'm still trying to digest it myself. There's an overwhelming demand for assistance," she said.

Ms Mangan said she had never seen that level of demand in her 40 years of working in the sector.

Sonia Anderson, whose 22-year-old daughter Bianca was murdered by her partner in 2010, said it was promising to see more women seeking help.

"The increase is very, very sad, that there are so many women in danger," she said.

"But what wonderful news that women are finally realising it is OK to phone and seek help."

The experience of losing her daughter to domestic violence has left Ms Anderson with lasting pain. ( ABC News )

She said the experience of losing her daughter to domestic violence had left her with "permanent pain".

"It is absolutely, most definitely the worst thing that a parent can go through — to lose a child to a violent murder," she said.

"As a family member, the sadness and the pain of a horrific murder and also the betrayal that you feel is something that will never leave.

"It is exceptionally strong pain. It is a permanent pain."

But she said she was glad to see the message was getting to women in need.

"The message is out there, people are listening and women are acting upon it," she said.

Domestic violence support hotlines, refuges stretched

The last major survey by the Bureau of Statistics in 2012 showed one in six women had experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner.

It is not yet known whether more women are being abused or whether more victims are seeking help because of increased publicity and awareness about domestic violence.

But with more women seeking help, both phone services and refuges are stretched.

Julie Oberin, the chairwoman of the peak body Women's Services Network, said the backlog sometimes had devastating repercussions.

"We're hearing that women are turned away on a daily basis from women's refuges because they're already full," Ms Oberin said.

"Coroners' reports have indicated that one of the murdered women from New South Wales had tried to seek refuge a few times and wasn't able to access a service."

Ms Mangan urged victims seeking help to "persevere" if they found phone lines filled.

"Persevere, be patient, we know the call is in the queue, we can see the light flashing," Ms Mangan said.

"If someone isn't able to stay in the queue, it's not safe for them to do so, we'd certainly say call the police."