The 'Living Without Fear' document, launched by Home Secretary Jack Straw, Minister for Women Margaret Jay and Coronation Street actress Sally Whittaker, will be backed by £6.3m for Victim Suppor and £6m for new projects in England and Wales which reduce domestic violence, rape and sexual assault.

Women's groups have welcomed the report, but are waiting to see whether more funding will follow later.

The BBC's Catherine Marston: This report tackles the causes of abuse

The report, which comes after a national consultation exercise, covers a range of violence issues, including rape, domestic abuse, and attacks at work.

Recent research shows:

• Two women in the UK die each week as a result of domestic abuse and one in four are victims of domestic violence
• Domestic violence often begins or escalates when a woman becomes pregnant
• 70% of women under 30 fear they could be raped
• A third of young men think they can force women to have sex under certain circumstances
• Reported rape has risen by 165% in the past 10 years, although the conviction rate is said to be falling. This is partly thought to be the result of women feeling more able to report rape and partly a rise in reports of date rape
• Nurses are the most likely workers to be assaulted while doing their job

The government says women are disproportionately affected by domestic violence and that the knock-on effects on children is immense.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists says children who witness abuse are more likely to repeat the behaviour in later life.

It adds that children as young as seven can show a tendency towards later domestic violence.

Women's groups say the effect on children has not been given the attention or funding it deserves in the past.

The report also talks about increasing the number of safe supervised areas where children can keep in contact with fathers who have committed domestic violence.

The government also wants to increase women's access to help.

The report states that some victims of domestic abuse are sent to as many as 10 organisations before they get the help they need.

Paying the price

It adds that the cost of violent attacks on women is estimated in the millions.

According to one research project, the cost of domestic violence in Greater London alone is £278m a year.

One in three nurses has been assaulted at work

The Cabinet Office report pulls together examples of good practice in reducing violence against women.

These include a project in Yorkshire which has developed specialist training for lawyers and police with the aim of increasing prosecutions of sexual offences.

Women's refuge organisations say these are currently very low.

Another project in West Yorkshire grades domestic violence attacks in an effort to provide the most sensitive and effective response in any given situation.

The government says it wants to have a national network of effective multi-agency partnerships which combat violence against women in place within five years.

It is also looking into the possibility of launching a 24-hour helpline for women which will cover all forms of violence.

A national conference will be held in November to address the issue and a new national database on refuges and services for victims of domestic violence will be ready by the end of the year.

Other proposals in the report centre on awareness campaigns among schoolchildren and the general public, a survey of violence in the workplace, initiatives for making streets and public transport safer and increased protection for victims of violence who are witnesses in court.

Baroness Jay said: "We have to work so that women who need help get help and are supported in the way they should be."

The Women's Aid Federation, a charity for women who have suffered domestic violence, welcomed the report, saying it was "incredibly encouraging" that domestic violence was being treated seriously.