SERVICE DETAILS
In August 2021, EWA entered into a partnership with Scottish Women’s Aid and BG Family Law to place a solicitor within Edinburgh Women’s Aid (EWA).
Early indications are that this is a hugely valuable service for women affected by domestic abuse. Between August and the beginning of December 2021, 55 women had been referred to the solicitor, and the responses they’ve given have been very encouraging.
The legal system can be very difficult to navigate, especially for women who have experienced domestic abuse, and EWA wanted to provide a service that could specifically address these needs.
The one-year pilot project was set up to provide this support, as well as to track and assess the difference that having a domestic abuse specialist family solicitor makes to women affected by domestic abuse. The program, funded by the Legal Education Fund, enables women to have longer, more targeted consultations with the lawyers. Since the lawyers in the EWA pilot provide a free service, and because the solicitor is highly experienced in domestic abuse cases and has a strong understanding of the dynamics of abuse, the conversation can, from the start, be specifically about the woman’s experiences and needs..
The lawyers at EWA also work with our staff, training workers to better understand the legal aspects of domestic abuse, and what the women in our services might encounter.
Referrals to this service can only be made by Edinburgh Women’s Aid (EWA) workers and it is only open to current EWA clients.
