They have already spent the day booking crisis accommodation, sitting in court cases and answering desperate calls from women and men privy to domestic violence.

The office of the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT is the front line of the territory's response to domestic and family abuse.

Workers offer around-the-clock support through telephone crisis counselling, attending crisis incidents with police, court advocacy and support and community outreach.

They fielded 9481 calls for help on the crisis line in 2008-09, but the organisation has experienced a staggering jump in demand. In 2013-14, workers answered 15,098 calls.

Client services director Dearne Weaver said there was no such thing as a typical domestic violence situation.

"When you come in to work as a crisis you really don't know what you're coming in to because you're responding to unpredictable events.

"The only consistencies are people who've experienced trauma, people who are stressed, who potentially don't really have a good understanding of what their options are, what the different processes around protection orders, around criminal stuff, around supported accommodation, legal information."

At 3.30pm, crisis worker Samara has just clocked on for her afternoon shift and seeks some advice on a woman who had argued with a partner who had been physically violent before.

"She's saying there's been tension bubbling," Samara says.

"She says he's got a temper and you've always got to walk on eggshells. He's always putting her down."

Team leader Jeanita asks: "Is she able to do things? Is he controlling her social activity?"

Staff work off a shared diary which was constantly updated throughout the day as cases were prioritised and workers dealt with the constant "unknown" of incoming crisis calls.

"We don't identify for people that what they're experiencing is domestic violence, that's certainly not our role to do," Ms Weaver said.

"What we do is we talk to people about what it is they've been living with, what their history is, what they've been experiencing, what their hopes and intentions are for the relationship, what their safety concerns are and what kind of support they're looking for."

Ms Weaver said the gravity and sheer volume of work could take its toll on staff.

But their desire to support clients at their lowest ebb was enough to keep them coming back.

"You're sitting there at a police station waiting to give a statement to police and you're in your pyjamas, with no bra on and a bruise on your cheek, and you're feeling like the most less-than person you can imagine. It just looks like the most horrible experience.

"Even if you just have one friendly face sitting there, helping, clarifying things and looking at you like you're a human being can be a real help."

The ACT's Domestic Violence Crisis Service has a crisis support line which operates 24 hours a day. It can be reached on 02 6280 0900.