Sara's story - helping Sara identify and solve multiple legal problems

Helping Sara identify and solve multiple legal problems

 

Sara, a 30-year old African woman was referred to our legal service at the Royal Women’s Hospital by her social worker when she was 10 weeks’ pregnant with her second child. She was living in public housing and had experienced significant family violence over many years.

Sara told the lawyer that she was not sure whether she required legal assistance. She started telling her story and in the process the lawyer identified several legal issues.

Several cases were opened for Sara. We assisted her to: apply for a divorce and obtain an intervention order against her violent ex-partner; transfer to a new public housing property that was safer and more appropriate for her circumstances; waive a number of outstanding infringements; deal with a criminal matter; and helped her to apply for financial assistance from the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal to help her to recover from an act of violence. She was awarded a total of $5,969, including a lump sum payment, counselling expenses, home security and the fees for a Certificate I and II in the English language to support her recovery.