BC invests in legal aid for gender-based violence victims

People escaping violence at home will soon have access to free legal support as the B.C. government invests $29 million dollars into an expansion of legal aid.

This comes after reaching a court settlement with groups who pressed the government to provide legal support for survivors.

“Today I am thinking about all the people who have stayed in abusive relationships because they are afraid,” said Centre for Family Equity board director Mai Eaglespeaker. “They are afraid they won’t have the support and legal representation they need to keep themselves and their children safe.”

At a press conference in Vancouver Thursday, Attorney General Niki Sharma said the investment comes alongside a new family law clinic model, which provides in-person and virtual services.

“When someone is experiencing family violence, whether the abuse is physical, sexual, financial, emotional, or that of neglect, it can feel impossible to leave the situation,” Sharma said.

“When a person does choose to leave, it’s tough. They need supports like housing, financial aid, counselling, and sometimes legal assistance.”

The government says the family law clinic — operated by Legal Aid B.C. — will be open before the end of this year.

But for people who need legal help ahead of the opening, the Centre for Family Equity says new eligible clients can get up to 25 hours of legal aid services starting April 1, so they don’t have to wait for the clinic to open.

The expansion in support comes seven years after a group representing single mothers launched a constitutional challenge, saying that British Columbia is responsible for providing access to the justice system for women and others harmed by gender-based discrimination and domestic violence.

The province tried to fight the court challenge multiple times, and advocates are calling this a win, especially for lone parents going through family violence.

“This is an excellent step to support survivors of gender-based violence,” said Ainsley Dowle, chief development officer for Shelter Movers, which provides free moving and storage services for people escamping domestic violence. “We know it takes a multi-faceted ecosystem to provide the support they deserve.”

She says it’s very likely that her charity’s clients will make use of the government’s new legal supports.

“One in four women in Canada experience some form of gender-based or intimate partner violence in their lifetime,” she said. “So we know it’s a situation that affects many. It disproportionally affects women and their children.”

Eaglespeaker with the Centre for Family Equity — formerly called the Single Mothers’ Alliance — says people living in dangerous abusive situations should be able to find safety in the court system.

“Low-income families experiencing abuse need to access the legal representation. They need to stay safe and find stability,” she said.

“I have a wish for the future of these new services. I hope that the services are trauma-informed legal services that treat people with respect and integrity. That Indigenous people will feel seen and heard, and that services are focused on advocacy and family connections.”