If you ask the Australia Bureau of Statistics, 58 per cent of all domestic violence cases are under-reported.

NSW’s Bureau of Crime Stastistics and Research says Wagga places 48^th of 153.

“Ask the local police or any service in Wagga and they will tell you that domestic violence is prevalent in our community,” Wagga Women’s Health Centre (WWHC) project manager Lauren Darley-Bentley said.

“We just do not know how prevalent.”

As reported in The Daily Advertiser this week, a new research project will work to find out, it is a collaboration between WWHC, Wollundry Rotary Club and the Army Recruit Training Centre Kapooka.

Three steps are included in the project – with the first focusing solely on research.

“We’re building the evidence and working out what domestic violence looks like in Wagga,” Ms Darley-Bentley said.

Domestic violence is not just physical, but social, emotional and sexual.

Ms Darley-Bentley said it was about finding how big the problem in the city was.

“Are we talking about hundreds? Or thousands? What groups are more affected than others?,” she asked.

She said the research was not just limited to statistics but the services available, how effective they are and what is missing.

Ms Darley-Bentley said researcher Andreia Schineanu was donating her time and the project kicked off with a donation from Wollundry Rotary Club.

The club provided a year of funding from its Food and Wine Festival.

Then club president John Ferguson said the dramatic rise of domestic violence was a cause worth pursuing.

“We’re an all male club, we’re husbands and fathers, we thought we should do something,” Mr Ferguson said.

“We’ve taken a stand, everyone should be involved, not just Rotary and government.”

Kapooka Commandant Colonel Steve Jobson said a solution to domestic violence had to be a grass-roots effort with men talk to men about the problem.

“I’m proud and the Army is proud to stand with the women’s health centre, Wollundry Rotary and hope that all men across the community stand with us and reject violence against women.”

Colonel Jobson said there was a long-standing relationship between WWHC and Kapooka.

“We’re taking our skills, leadership and goodwill, not just to benefit of those we are responsible for, but to deliver the benefits across the wider community,” Colonel Jobson said.

Colonel Jobson said men are predominantly responsible for domestic violence, they’re the best ambassadors, role models and leaders who can stop it.

He encouraged people to engage with the project.

“We look forward to listening to people and informing many people,” Colonel Jobson said.

“We need to work at the grass roots and influence other people,” he said.

Colonel Jobson highlighted community activities such as Mount Austin Public School’s White Ribbon Day event.

“This is another broad community based approach.”