By YASEMIN TALAT
WOMEN in Sunshine will benefit from a new collaboration between two community services that have joined forces to aid victims of family violence.
Victoria Legal Aid and inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence have teamed up to help women living in Sunshine who have experienced family violence.
The new partnership is targeted to help women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
The collaboration means that clients who cannot get help through inTouch legal services will be linked to Victoria Legal Aid lawyers to ensure clients do not miss out on legal help.
Victoria Legal Aid Family Violence Program manager Leanne Sinclair said the close partnership would help address family violence and was crucial to the highly vulnerable clients that both organisations assisted.
“Some women who have experienced family violence do not understand our legal system, and do not know where and when to get legal help,” Ms Sinclair said.
“They may not be confident enough to seek legal advice or representation through external services like Victoria Legal Aid, but may approach a community service like inTouch,” she said.
inTouch supports and responds to issues of family violence in more than 20 languages.
inTouch chief executive officer Maya Avdibegovic said the organisation provided a “safety net” to catch clients from CALD backgrounds who commonly fell through the gaps.
“There is a real need for collaboration between services and for legal service providers to build on cultural awareness and competency,” Ms Avdibegovic said.
“This collaboration is a major step in overcoming barriers for CALD women, and will have a life-long positive impact on our clients who could have otherwise fallen through the gaps.”
For more information, visit: www.legalaid.vic.gov.au or call Legal Help on 1300 792 387 or www.intouch.asn.au or call 9413 6500.
