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Domestic violence often brings legal concerns into survivors’ lives. For the first time, an individual may need to figure out how to secure an order of protection, navigate child custody and divorce, understand criminal charges, property rights, or file legal motions regarding employers and housing. It can easily be overwhelming.
The Syms Legal Momentum Helpline is a unique resource for anyone looking for legal help, focusing on gender-based discrimination and violence in education, employment and the home. Individuals facing legal issues, including survivors, as well as attorneys, can contact the Helpline via email, an online web form or phone. When prompted, callers provide a brief summary of their issue and submit a request for legal assistance. The Helpline is not a live service like a hotline, but will return inquiries within two business days.
Each year, Legal Momentum takes on a handful of groundbreaking cases themselves. Additionally, they provide hundreds of people with referrals, informal advocacy and information. They aim to provide callers with a referral to an organization in their county or state that can provide legal help to survivors seeking supportive services such as creating a safety plan, finding transitional housing, securing an order of protection or obtaining representation for a divorce or child custody hearing involving a domestic violence situation.
As part of this referral process, they often provide informal advocacy. For instance, they may look at the details of the case and provide information about laws and rights, which may help survivors advocate for themselves. Their perspectives can help survivors know what kind of lawyer they need and the best course of action for their case.
Hiring a lawyer is expensive, and it can be hard to know whom to trust. A survivor may wonder:
As an example, a survivor may be thinking about an order of protection only when they could also consider filing criminal charges or protecting child custody or property rights. The helpline can also let survivors know about their rights as an employee facing domestic violence.
Mireille Martineau, program manager at Legal Momentum, runs the helpline. She mentions that while the organization gears its advocacy and services to women and girls, they “focus on issues involving gender-based discrimination. This means that if a man calls seeking assistance on a relevant case, for example, he was retaliated against or terminated or prevented from taking parental leave by his employer, we would certainly assist him.”
Martineau adds that “most people feel overwhelmed when they are facing legal challenges, and just speaking with someone who understands their situation and can orient them seems to make all the difference in the world. They usually are not sure about their options or even—sometimes—what kind of lawyer they need. We can help.”
Below, find additional Internet resources to help with legal dilemmas related to domestic violence.
Your support gives hope and help to victims of domestic violence every day.
More Resources for Legal Help
Your community domestic violence agency can also probably make a solid local referral, including, sometimes, lawyers who will work with you for free (“pro bono”) on your domestic violence-related case. Search for a domestic violence program in your area here. But sometimes, survivors will still struggle to find help.
This link will provide you with even more resources for legal assistance. Most survivors tangle with the legal system for the first time when they are trying to break away from a domestic abuser. Please know, you do not have to do it alone—there are people out there who can help.
Looking for someone to speak with? Enter your location to find phone numbers for domestic violence experts in your area.
Have a question about domestic violence? Type your question below to find answers.
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Menstruation is an experience shared by
generations of women across the globe.
Sadly, abuse is another commonly shared experience between women.
Be it physical or psychological, abuse is not OK in any form.
Period.
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Welcome to DomesticShelters.org, a trusted Bright Sky US partner. On DomesticShelters.org, you will find free domestic violence resources such as:
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