Our Perth family law firm is dedicated to helping domestic abuse survivors navigate the often-intimidating Court system after separating from an abusive partner. We act for both men and women who have experienced domestic abuse.

An experienced domestic violence lawyer can help protect you and your family by obtaining a FVRO against your ex-partner, as well as working through the steps for a legal separation.

What is a VRO?
A Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) prevents a person (Respondent) from communicating with, being in the presence of, living, or working with another person (the Applicant).

FVROs can be issued when:

• The Respondent has committed an act of domestic abuse or threatened to so
• Unless restrained, the Respondent is likely to continue to be abusive
• The Applicant reasonably fears they are in danger of domestic abuse

FVROs can be temporary or final. When domestic abuse occurs or is likely, a temporary FVRO can be issued by a Magistrate or Justice of the Peace without the other person present.

Final FVROs can only be ordered by a Magistrate after a hearing involving the Respondent. These orders usually last for two years and are issued based on a combination of evidence and the Court hearing.

The Perth family law firm on your side
In domestic violence cases it is important the survivor is supported and protected.

Leach Legal are Perth’s trusted family lawyers, helping victims of abuse access the appropriate legal services to live without fear.

Schedule a free and completely confidential introductory consultation with Leach Legal to learn more about your options.

The post Where to Turn After Domestic Violence appeared first on Leach Legal.

The home to Basil spoke about the Parkerville Home which protects and cares for the protects and cares for the most vulnerable children and youth in our community through the provision of a therapeutic environment that utilises a range of professional services.  Their core business remains their response to the “high needs child”.  Many of these children and youth have suffered chronic histories of multiple abuse and display a range of trauma-related behaviours.

Out of Home Care for children and youth remain their core business, however, Parkerville Children and Youth Care also offers valuable outreach services and programmes to the wider community for children, youth and families in need.

Their programmes are designed to be outcome focused for the children and youth for whom they provide care. There is an emphasis on individualised care plans to meet the needs of each and every child or young person. They strive to make a positive difference to the lives of all children and youth who come into their care.

It is an unnerving reality in 21st century Australia that one in four girls and one in six boys will be abused before they reach 18 years of age; that is 1 in 10 of our children.  Whether the abuse is physical, sexual or emotional, through neglect or exposure to domestic violence; the impact of the trauma is just as devastating, affecting the developmental pathways of the child’s brain.

Without intervention and treatment, these children will remain developmentally delayed, cognitively, emotionally and intellectually impaired; plagued by mental illness, suffering depression, anxiety and suicide; addiction to drugs or alcohol; with a predisposition to criminal activity; an inability to form relationships; a potential abuser of their own children and an ongoing burden to society where, inevitably, they become part of our social exclusion data.

The good news is that, using a therapeutic approach, they are able to return these children and young people to full health, giving them the best chance at a happy and fulfilling life.  Each year they work with more than 2000 children, young people and families throughout Western Australia delivering programmes and services to help them recover from their trauma; to obtain the tools and knowledge to be a better family; to become happy, confident parents to happy, confident children; to overcome poverty and homelessness.

Parkerville Children and Youth Care take a strong proactive approach to their mission, working with over twenty schools in the Perth metropolitan area giving students the tools to better manage their emotions and understand their interactions with others.  They also give their staff the tools to better understand the needs of children who have suffered abuse and/or come from vulnerable backgrounds.

Leach Legal donates $1 from every invoice to Parkerville Children and Youth Care and we are very proud to be associated with them and especially proud of the work they do.

The post Child Abuse Awareness in Australia appeared first on Leach Legal.

The number of reported incidents in 2012 was 45,000, an increase of two and a half times in the last ten years.

Attorney-General Michael Mischin said the Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) was designed to reduce the onus on the victim to provide evidence of intimidating or controlling behaviour.

“Currently under the Restraining Orders Act 1997, a person can apply for a Violence Restraining Order (VRO) for family violence or other non-family personal violence situations or a Misconduct Restraining Order to restrain the misconduct of a non-family member,” he said.

“The new FVROs will be a distinct third category of orders and will adopt a more modern definition of family violence.”

Liza Harvey, Police Minister said: “Family violence is unfortunately core business for police and the courts, with applications for restraining orders being made in 31 per cent of cases recorded by police in 2012.”

“Family violence starts usually with the partner controlling every aspect of a woman’s life, the banking, who they speak to, where they go,” she said.

“To be able to intervene at that point before that control, coercion and intimidation escalates to violence is a step in the right direction, a huge step for these women who are trapped in those relationships. We’re sending a message to the courts that we would prefer them to err on the side of the victim and err on the side of granting one of the violence restraining orders in these scenarios because they do protect women.”

The reforms are designed to enable authorities, including police, to work together more closely to identify those at risk.

Many Family Lawyers believe that the reforms need to go one step further – to actually take the FVRO from the Magistrate’s Court and have them dealt with in the Family Court of Western Australia in the context of a Family Law separation. For separated people trying to rebuild their lives, the prospect of dealing with cases in two courts can be very daunting, not to mention expensive.

There is certainly significant support from lawyers and from separated people for this and perhaps this needs to be the next step in the reform process.

The post New Family Violence Restraining Order for Western Australia appeared first on Leach Legal.

It is devastating to see people from all manner of families arrive in my office with such a sad history of abuse.

The years, sometimes decades of abuse are apparent in their guarded disclosures, their common downplaying of the abuse (he was really stressed; she had a hard childhood) and most tellingly in the way they sat, walked and generally withdrew from life.

As incredibly distressing as these interactions are, what makes me the most angry are the people who use allegations of domestic violence to further their own cause in the Family Court.  They exaggerate, embellish or just blatantly create instances of violence and abuse to discredit their former partners and try and further their own cases.

These vocal few are the ones who are planting that seed of doubt in the minds of the police, the lawyers and the Courts.  In court cases involving separated couples the evidence of an abused person is not just accepted – they have to “prove” their abuse, relive each moment and try and convince the court that their case is “real” – that they are not just making it up to get a better result in court.

It is truly distressing to see these genuine victims of abuse struggle to re tell their stories.

There are rarely any consequences for misleading the court for those that are found to have embellished or simply lied about incidents.

The definition of abuse is very wide, and we have to be very sensitive and take seriously every client that raises this issue.

But I just implore people to ignore any advice from people to accuse a man or a woman of deliberate abuse when it never occurred.

It just diminishes the seriousness of actual cases and makes their lives so much harder.

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional, physical, verbal or psychological abuse, please seek help. Contact a counselling service and seek good legal advice as soon as you can.

The post Domestic Violence – We All Have a Responsibility appeared first on Leach Legal.