Women hanging up on violence help hotline

The department of social services has explained why thousands of phone calls from women to a domestic violence hotline were left unanswered.

Women who ring a domestic violence hotline could be hanging up for fear of their violent partners.

That's how the social services department is explaining 18,631 unanswered calls to the 1800Respect line, which has recently been given a $4 million funding boost by the federal government.

"A lot of women ring and don't go through with the call ... they could be interrupted by a child or a violent partner," department official Cate McKenzie told a Senate committee in Canberra on Thursday.

Women who ring the hotline get a privacy note and are asked if they wish their call to be returned after two minutes.

Those who take up the opportunity and hang up are then considered as having an unanswered call.

"It takes a lot of guts for women to make that call," Ms McKenzie said.

"But there is always going to be a number of calls where it won't be responded to."

The funding boost is expected to facilitate an additional 55,000 calls.