A new book REtroSPECT: 21 Years of Women's Health in the West of Melbourne charts the organisation's history and shares the stories of the women it has helped.

Women's Health West was established in 1988 by a group of women who won a tender to start Victoria's first regional women's health service.

It started small, with a doctor and nurses, but developed into an advocacy organisation for women across the western region. It now works with other services to provide appropriate, affordable and accessible support for women, perhaps most importantly hosting the west's largest family violence service.

In the past year in Maribyrnong, Victoria Police attended 348 family violence incidents, resulting in 84 charges, while in Hobsons Bay 504 incidents led to 97 charges.

Women's Health West also advocates for research, legislation and projects, some of the most notable being abortion decriminalisation and reproductive technology law reforms.

WHW chief executive Robyn Gregory said the organisation gave disadvantaged women in the west a voice and had helped to change community attitudes.

"Around violence against women, people would generally now say: 'It's not OK'. [But] 21 years ago, [they thought] what happens in the privacy of one's home, I shouldn't interfere," Ms Gregory said.

There is still work to be done, though, in particular focusing on prevention of violence against women.

"Women's specific health needs are still too often played down, under-researched, under-medicalised, under-funded.

"I would hate to see what it would look like with none of us working to stop it going backwards."

For her research, the book's historian, Esther Singer, interviewed women who had used Women's Health West.

"One woman hoped that, 'if other women read it [the book], they'll see no matter how hopeless the situation may feel or how violent and persistent the perpetrator, there is a new life waiting'," she said.

The book will be available, free, from local community centres, libraries, educational institutions and Women's Health West.