Studies show that women leaving violent relationships have trouble trusting information that comes from government sources. Workers in women's shelters and crisis centres frequently find themselves in the role of legal advocate or advisor for their clients. Rarely do such agencies have the funding to train staff or provide the services of a lawyer. There is an urgent need for legal information in clear language on topics relevant to women dealing with violence. Free packages containing detailed notes and legal material enable staff to inform themselves, present information to clients, answer questions and provide takeaway resources.
Topics range from custody and access to issues relating to sexual assault and criminal harassment.
In 1999, we presented workshops on topics identified by local community agencies as important to women coping with violence. In 2000, we expanded the workshops, offering series in both English and Spanish, and added new topics. Community agency partners have encouraged the continuation and expansion of the service. Participants give extremely positive feedback. A logical progression is to share the knowledge and resources we have accumulated in the workshops with other organizations.