Reaching Out for Rights Project

Improving access to justice for women who have experienced family violence

Women's Legal Services NSW received a grant of $150,000 to support the Reaching Out for Rights Project from the NSW Office For Women Family and Domestic Violence Grants Program 2009/2010 for twelve months. The project focussed on six regions of NSW that were been identified as having high unmet legal need and ran until October 2010.

Women who have experienced family violence face particular challenges in accessing the justice system. Despite the increase in the availability of legal information, women continue to experience difficulties in obtaining legal assistance for family violence.

Some women also have particular social disadvantage and/or are disadvantaged by the area they live in. The project aimed to improve legal assistance to women living in communities that have been identified as having high unmet legal need and who have experienced family violence.

The project worked with local organisations assisting women experiencing family violence. The project particularly aimed to help women who experience barriers when negotiating the justice system, such as Indigenous women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, refugee women and women living with disability.

The project provided workshops about legal options, reporting family violence and options for responding to systemic failures in the justice system. The aim was to increase the ability of workers to respond appropriately and advocate effectively within their area. Where possible, legal information workshops were also provided for women in the community.

Two metropolitan areas and four rural areas of NSW were identified as priorities. Workshops were held during 2010 in:

• Canterbury / Campsie
  
• Mt Druitt
  
• Mid North Coast of NSW – Taree, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.
  
• Far South West NSW – Mildura, Hay and Deniliquin
  
• Goulburn and Yass
  
• Far South Coast of NSW – Moruya, Bega and Cooma

The project also involved the development of resources including a "breach card" and information about responding to systemic failures.

The project promoted the services available at Women's Legal Services NSW including advice and representation to women experiencing violence and informs the ongoing law reform work of Women's Legal Services NSW in relation to improving justice system responses to women experiencing violence.