November marks a significant moment in the fight against family violence, with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25th. This annual observance, established by the United Nations General Assembly, kicks off 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, which runs until December 10th, Human Rights Day. Many of our clients need legal help for family violence. We want to share with you some of the complex ways that the law can make a big difference in the lives of women escaping violence.
Gender-based violence remains one of the most widespread injustices of our time. Every day, women experience violence at the hands of their families, partners and loved ones. We see this violence far too often in our work, and women and girls still face obstacles when it comes to speaking up. As a legal service, these days of activism are a time to reflect on how we can best highlight the numerous legal issues surrounding family violence and advocate for change.
Helping Jenny escape family violence and remain safely housed
When Jenny first came to South-East Monash Legal Service, she was experiencing homelessness with her young children, unable to access her personal belongings, and facing a complex legal battle.
Jenny’s recent ex, James, had applied for a family violence intervention order against Jenny, using the system as a way to perpetuate abuse. On the order, he had lied and falsely listed Jenny’s address as his own. Almost overnight, Jenny and her children were forced out of their own home. They had nowhere to go, and no access to their belongings. They didn’t even have time to pack an overnight bag.
Recognising and addressing patterns of abuse
By listening to Jenny, we were able to understand that James’ actions were just one more step in a long history of abuse. James had positioned Jenny as an abuser to hide the reality of his own actions against her and her children. We knew that we needed to take action to get Jenny and her children back into safe and stable housing without James.
Immediately after meeting Jenny, we arranged an emergency hearing to revoke James’ access to her home. Within a week, Jenny and her children could finally go home and get their stuff. Unfortunately, as is common for women experiencing abuse, James refused to make this process easy for Jenny. When Jenny and her children returned home, they found that James had trashed many of their belongings, stolen her electronics, and even soiled her sheets.
We knew that Jenny needed more support to both navigate this trauma and keep her children safe. Our lawyers and social workers worked hard on Jenny’s case for months to get her a better resolution.
It took a team of people to help Jenny through this time, from administration officers who helped direct and guide Jenny through our service, to the lawyers who worked on the case. Ultimately, with Jenny’s bravery and determination, we were able to bring her case to a positive resolution. Jenny was granted a final five-year full family violence intervention order, allowing her and her kids freedom from James’ harassment. The false order that James had made against Jenny was also struck out, and Jenny could return to her home, reclaiming her space and sense of security.
Legal help can keep women safe and housed
Jenny’s story underscores the critical role that dedicated legal support plays in helping victims of family violence reclaim their lives and ensure their safety. Our commitment to Jenny’s case, involving multiple lawyers over an extended period, highlights the complex and time-intensive nature of these cases and the importance of ongoing advocacy.
Legal services can have a transformative impact on individuals facing family violence, providing not just legal resolution but also hope and a pathway to a safer future. For women like Jenny, good legal help can be the difference between continued harassment and abuse, and finally having their lives back.
For more information about what you can do to take a stand against gender-based violence, check out some of the local events happening in the south-east region.
