MAY is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, sadly an issue the local region is not immune to.

In the Whitsundays, police investigate an average of 30 domestic violence incidents every month.

Whitsunday police domestic and family violence liaison officer Sergeant Simon Walter said of the 30 reports a month, which by law police must investigate, about five resulted in protection order applications and another five in charges of contravening an order.

"(Last month) there were 18investigations, four contravenes and six applications for protection orders,” he said.

Sgt Walter has specialised in domestic violence crime for 12 years, nine of those in the Whitsundays, and last year received a statewide Queensland Police Service award for his work as a liaison officer.

"It's often the neighbours who report people... One call from a neighbour can end a vicious cycle of suffering which may have happened for years,” he said.

"You shouldn't be worried about phoning. In many cases this isn't their first time committing DV and that call may be the thing to change or even save a life.

"Call the Whitsunday police station on 49488888, or if it's urgent and you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 000.”

Sgt Walter said domestic violence in the Whitsundays was on the decrease overall.

"I think this is because we have good collaborations between support networks and government agencies,” he said.

"The legislation changes have really freed up agencies to work together and pass information to each other.”

He said what constituted domestic violence was often misunderstood.

"A lot of domestic violence is not physical violence. It can be threats, fear, intimidation, aggressiveness, emotional, financial and psychological abuse.”

Another misconception was that only women or children were victims.

"To men who are victims, don't be ashamed. You are not alone, there are support networks out there and there are people who care,” Sgt Walter said.

"Domestic violence legislation is not limited by gender and police here and around the state are committed to eliminating it.

"We always do our best to help and can put you in touch with support afterwards.”

Sgt Walter said his worst day was when he felt the authorities had failed.

"Fortunately it is very rare, but there are times when we didn't discover the domestic violence in time, where we haven't received that phone call and we are instead responding to a homicide or a violent crime.

"My best day was when a lady who came to the counter here one day and she just looked awful, she looked really upset, worried and ill.

"She said 'I don't know if you can help me' but she didn't know where else she could turn.

"She had suffered 12 years of domestic violence.

"Two to three hours we spent with this woman - she came out looking like a different person.

"She looked like this massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders and I felt we had given her a chance at a better life.

"She was able to escape from the abusive relationship.”