The SAFV Centre Emma House Legal Program is a specialist Community Legal Centre, providing free or low fee legal support, advice and representation to women experiencing family violence in South West Victoria. We believe every woman has the right to live free from violence, and should have access to legal support.
What specialist services do we provide?
Duty Lawyer
Court support for Family Violence Intervention Order matters at the Portland, Hamilton and Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court.
One-off Legal Advice
Legal advice at our weekly clinic covering a range of matters relating to family violence:
- Parenting Agreements
- Child Protection
- Division of Property after separation
- Disputes in relation to child support and spousal maintenance
- Airport watch list applications
- Victims of Crime Assistance Applications
- Tenancy
- Civil Matters including unpaid fines and Centrelink debt.
Divorce Clinic
Support for women wanting to file for divorce, assisting and guiding them through the process.
Ongoing Representation
Representation may be available for the following matter types:
- Parenting Agreements
- Child Protection
- Division of Property after separation
- Family Dispute Resolution Service
Community Legal Education
We provide Community Legal Education to educate the community about the most common legal issues affecting women due to gender based violence.
Referrals
We accept referrals from local service providers, as well as self referrals for women who are experiencing, or have experienced family violence. Referrals are triaged to provide one-off advice appointments to help service users identify their legal issue/s, explain their legal rights and provide options or referral pathways for further assistance.
To make a referral, please visit www.emmahouse.org.au/legal-program/referrals
