Women's Legal Service

About Us

Why a legal service for women?

In addition to general legal problems which affect everyone, there are some areas of the law in which women’s experience is different. These include:

-the legal implications of their role as the primary carers of children

-their experience of discrimination against women or not having equal opportunities in employment and business

-their experiences as victims of crime – particularly family violence within the home

Women also face additional barriers in accessing justice which can consist of the following:

-being unable to meet legal costs - women are over-represented in low income brackets

-having a lack of knowledge about the law and their rights

-having difficulty accessing legal services due to child-care responsibilities

-feeling intimidated by going to court, particularly when facing an ex-partner

-feeling that their experiences are not recognised by the legal profession and judiciary that are male dominated

There are also many women who are all the more disadvantaged in accessing justice because of their language or cultural background including Aboriginality, disability, sexuality, geographical isolation and a range of other factors.