Every Victorian deserves access to legal help after family violence
No one should miss out on legal support after family violence because of where they live or how much money they have.
Legal support helps victim-survivors take steps towards safety, stability, and a future free from violence.
But right now, too many family violence victim-survivors are being turned away because there aren't enough lawyers with the specialist trauma-informed skills to respond, particularly in regional Victoria.
This state election, we're calling on all political parties to commit to funding the Emerging Lawyers Program and help thousands more Victorians access free family violence assistance.
With just $17.1 million over four years, we could support 12,000 more victim-survivors who would otherwise be left behind.
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Legal help is essential to family violence recovery
Safety often depends on legal help.
A woman or non-binary person escaping family violence may need protection orders, safe parenting arrangements, help with housing, debts or immigration issues.
Legal support helps deal with these barriers to safety, so a victim-survivor can rebuild their life.
A proven solution to get support where it's needed the most
The Emerging Lawyers Program is a proven and effective way to expand access to free legal help across the state.
The program trains and supports early-career lawyers to deliver high-impact family law services to people experiencing family violence and relationship breakdown in communities in regional and rural Victoria.
The program is proven and tested twice over.
From 2024–25, 14 Emerging Lawyers supported 3,000 Victorians experiencing family violence in communities in Gippsland, to Mildura, across Hume and down to Warrnambool.
This year we're supporting 8 Emerging Lawyers working in communities right now.
This program is ready to expand and reach more victim-survivors every year, over the next four years.
Our election ask
We're calling on all Victorian political parties to commit:
$17.1 million over four years
This investment will:
- Support 12,000 Victorians over the next term of government
- Increase access to legal help in rural and regional communities
- Support and train 60 Emerging Lawyers
- Strengthen Victoria's family violence and family law workforce
Victim-survivors of family violence gain a pathway out of unfair speeding fines debt
Victoria has expanded its family violence fines scheme, helping family violence victim-survivors challenge excessive speeding fines and access new pathways to reduce fines debt.
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Margaret's story: finding safety and reconnecting with her son
Integrated legal, financial and social work support helped Margaret recover from family violence, stabilise her life and reunite with her son.
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