More than 2,700 women were sexually assaulted in Brighton and Hove last year, according to community safety chiefs.
Many did not report what had happened to them to the police.
And more than 5,300 women are estimated to have suffered domestic violence over the same period.
Michelle Pooley, the domestic violence strategies co-ordinator for Brighton and Hove, urged women and children not to suffer in silence, saying that support is available.
She said: “Violence against women and children takes many forms – including physical and emotional domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking – but it often goes unreported.”
She said that the Community Safety Team – run jointly by Brighton and Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Brighton and Hove City Council – works with a number of organisations and projects to combat domestic violence and other forms of violence.
Some of the work in Brighton and Hove is highlighted in a paper just published by the government which calls for an end to violence against women and girls. The example revolves around a concept called intelligent commissioning.
The paper is called Call to End Violence against Women and Girls.
Dr Tom Scanlon, the director of public health for Brighton and Hove, said: “Any form of violence against women and children is unacceptable.
“As well as causing physical harm, there can be devastating long-term effects on the mental health and wellbeing of the women and any children involved.
“Everyone should be able to live their lives without fear of violence.”
For more information on national and local support services visit www.nhs.uk/violence and www.safeinthecity.info.
The site also includes information for men who are victims of domestic violence.
