subject: Victims of domestic violence could suffer more, say solicitors, London [print this page] The plight of those suffering at the hand of domestic violence has been the centre of attention for many government officials and legal commentators.
Previous governments have worked tirelessly to develop a network of specialised domestic violence courts and pass legislation such as the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, in order to protect those victims.
But those women who are trying to leave abusive and dangerous relationships find it frustrating to find legal advice, according to solicitors in London.
The Legal Services Commission have attempted to try and enable women in difficult situation to find publicly funded legal help. This was done in a variety of forms. The upper income limit for determining eligibility was waived. But this still does not solve the problem as the organisation Rights of Women (RoW), records 90,000 a year, with advisors only being able to help over 1,500 women.
"Women are ringing back 15 to 20 times trying to get through," RoW's senior legal officer, Cate Briddick, said earlier this week.
Things are bad, and this was before legal aid was slashed, and there was the threat of closure for many family firms who provide legal aid work.
Briddick remarked that is was "absolutely devastating. We are in a bad situation at the moment and it's going to get worse." It seems that there will be a particular client group that will be unfairly affected by the tending process of legal aid.
But legal aid is not the sole factor in this problem. Teresa Hoey, a manager at Solance remarked that it would be a culmination of issues, such as cuts in state benefits, housing benefits, as well as legal concerns, meaning that "we're in danger of returning to the position of the early 1970s, when there were no options for women wanting to escape violent and abusive partners".
Victims of domestic violence could suffer more, say solicitors, London
By: clarapiere
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