New Crime Statistics Agency data shows there were 1993 family violence-related incidents reported to police in the 2018-19 financial year across the six local government areas of Warrnambool, Moyne, Corangamite, Southern Grampians, Glenelg and Colac-Otway, compared with 1785 in 2017-18.

Warrnambool had the biggest jump with reports up 13.5 per cent to 755.

Across the region 245 reported incidents were serious assaults.

That figure is up 21.9 per cent from the year before and is an alarming comparison to the state's 0.1 per cent drop for the same offence.

Family Violence Investigation manager Senior Sergeant Shane Keogh said the offending created a vicious cycle within the family unit.

"The cycle of family violence is such that children learn these behaviours from parents so at present we still have a long way to go," he said.

"Family violence continues to be a focus of Victoria Police to encourage victims to report matters to police and for witnesses to family violence to come forward and report family violence activities," he said.

"We will continue to see increases in reporting as the community gains more confidence in police and the justice system in dealing with family violence victims and offenders."

Accused family violence offenders were more likely to breach their bail conditions with the offence up 12 per cent from the year before compared to a 5.7 per cent drop across the state.

Six out of 10 family violence incidents occurred between current or former partners in the south-west and Victoria-wide.

"60 per cent of offending is between current or former partners and other offending includes children assaulting parents and vice versa," Sergeant Keogh said.

"Crime Statistics Agency have done excellent research in relation to adolescent siblings offending each other.

"Almost half of adolescent sibling violence in Victoria involved a brother offending against his sister, while 34 per cent involved a brother offending against his brother."

Sergeant Keogh said the majority of family violence offending occurred in the home.

"But we do see the use of electronic media and telephones being utilised to breach intervention orders as well," he said.

"In close to 80 per cent of cases the perpetrator of sibling violence was older than the victim by an average of 3.1 years.

"The average age of victims was 11.9 years old."

The new data also revealed there were 197 criminal damage offences in the past financial year, up 13.9 per cent from the previous year.

And resisting an officer jumped 50 per cent to 30 offences in that time period.

The latest family violence data can be found via the Crime Statistics Agency website.

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