Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer's Report

Sam Horsfield

Chairperson

Joanna Fletcher

Chief Executive Officer

Simplifying access to justice: the potential of a one family one court model

In this impact report you will read about Women’s Legal Service Victoria’s new and enhanced work to effect change, improve access, prevent violence and respond to legal need, including:

  • Leading the development of Women’s Legal Services Australia’s Safety First in Family Law Campaign, endorsed by Rosie Batty’s Luke Batty Foundation and supported by more than 24,000 petition signatures

 

  • Improving our intake process to ensure we can identify women with the greatest barriers to accessing justice and provide them with the most appropriate services
  • In partnership with Women with Disabilities Victoria, co-delivering their Gender and Disability workforce development program for senior executives of disability services
  • Expanding our services to provide representation to women involved in Children’s Court proceedings at the Moorabbin Justice Centre, in recognition of the high level of co-occurrence of family violence and child abuse.

You can read about our regular services here.

Projects

The Link virtual outreach program brings specialist legal advice and representation to women experiencing family violence across Victoria. Using Skype and other internet-based tools, the project coordinates a virtual legal practice, allowing WLSV lawyers to meet with clients from multiple locations around the state during any one day.

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Victims of family violence often continue to suffer economic abuse at the hands of their former partners long after leaving the perpetrator. The Stepping Stones project  focuses on assisting women to end the cycle of economic abuse and improve their economic wellbeing after family violence.

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Case Studies

Aiko's story

A woman seeks assistance to permanently relocate with her child to her home country after the breakdown of a violent relationship.

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Jenny's story

A woman is assisted in dealing with a crippling debt with a consumer lease organisation that has been incurred by her violent ex-husband.

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Sina's story

A woman with three young children is able to gain some financial stability after her extremely violent ex-husband sells her house from under her feet.

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Alicia's story

A woman with a young child is forced to fight to stay in her own home after her violent ex-husband is released from prison.

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