Summer 2014/15 - Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria

the lid off the law
Darebin Community Legal Centre Newsletter
Summer 2014/15
Family violence awareness
The Darebin Intervention
Order Service (DIOS) recently
launched a series of new
brochures addressing family
violence and the process of
obtaining an intervention
order.
are victims of family violence.
member of the local
community, relating her
The launch at Northcote Town experience of family violence
Hall received significant
and the importance of
attendance from local
integrated services.
community groups, members
of the legal community and
‘When I started out I felt weak
the City of Darebin Mayor, Cr and powerless but I feel that I
The launch was the
Steven Tsitas.
am now getting control over
culmination of a project that
my life. I know now that I
aimed to fill an information
Attendees heard speeches
have the right to feel safe and
gap. The brochures will help
from people working day-to- that there are services to
to demystify the oftenday with family violence cases support me,’ she wrote. ‘I
complex workings of the
including Her Honour Ms.
wish that I had had these
court. Together they present a Susan Wakeling of the
brochures at the start of the
simple, no-nonsense guide
Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court process, I think it would be
that makes the law accessible and Rodney Vlais of No to
good for all services to have
to the community.
Violence & Men’s Referral
the brochures.’
Service.
The Centre is currently
The reaction to the new
distributing them to other
It also included the reading of brochures was
services to assist clients who
a heartfelt testimonial from a overwhelmingly positive. Ms.
Wakeling, who hears family
violence cases at the
Magistrates’ Court, praised
their easy-to-read style and
practical advice.
The Centre welcomes the
appointment of local member
Fiona Richardson as Minister
for the Prevention of Family
Violence and the
establishment of the Royal
Commission Into Family
Violence by the new Victorian
government
If you are currently
experiencing family violence
or seeking an intervention
order, please contact the
Centre on 94847753.
Family violence brochures
Now available
The Centre acknowledges the
traditional owners of the land, and
wishes to pay its respect to their
elders past and present.
ISSN 1837 - 5855
Membership
Homelessness is increasingly
becoming a significant issue
for young people. The
Centre’s Youth Outreach
program is part of the
vanguard turning the tide on
an issue that causes insecurity
to many young people.
Join or renew yours today
their legal guardians and at
other times live elsewhere. On
these occasions the young
person will not be considered
homeless and instead labeled
‘at risk of homelessness’ and
will not be able to engage
with housing services.
Homelessness is not only
about not having shelter. It is
also about a lack of
connectedness with family or
the community.
There are many reasons why
young people may not live at
home. Family violence,
eviction, unemployment,
mental illness, family
breakdown and substance
Part of the issue when dealing abuse can each take their toll.
with youth homelessness is
that it exists within something These hardships are often
of a grey area. Figures are
accompanied by financial
sometimes hard to come by.
turmoil as young people
The homeless do not have
without a home address find
fixed addresses. Most of the
it difficult to obtain
Centre’s youth clients that are government assistance.
homeless are ‘couch surfing’
Insufficient money to pay for
with friends or extended
accommodation or a shortage
family. These figures are
of affordable housing can
underreported and tend to be prove a hindrance. In many
unrepresented in census data. cases they are forced to claim
the home address of a friend
Homelessness should not be
as their own.
seen as a binary measure;
rather it occurs in degrees of If a young person is
homelessness with many
unemployed and homeless,
young people living transient traveling any distance
and uncertain lives. For
becomes a barrier due to the
instance, a young person may cost of either private or public
sometimes live at home with transport. The inability to
Applications close 31 March 2015
Fun Fact :-D
A group of owls is
called a parliament
access affordable and reliable
travel options makes young
people susceptible to
receiving transport-related
infringements. This is widely
seen by Youth Outreach.
Further exacerbating this
scenario is that travelling to
Court becomes problematic,
often to the point of risking a
further infringement.
Homelessness can begin a
culture of not attending
school causing young people
to fall behind their peers
academically. Young people
then become used to only
attending intermittently and
then find it very hard to reengage in full time education.
Legal issues are often
intertwined with the social
and financial problems that
accompany homelessness. A
study by the Law and Justice
Foundation of New South
Wales indicated that
homeless people were
involved in comparatively
more legal issues than people
who were not homeless.
The homeless are devoid of a
safe environment and
therefore become vulnerable
to abuse, both sexual and
physical. The study noted that
it is common for the homeless
to witness or be subjected to
assault, threats, being
kidnapped, rape and theft.
The Centre’s Outreach Lawyer
is at Northland Youth Centre
Mondays from 3.30-5.30pm.
Katie-Eloise White-Spear
Outreach lawyer
Applying for a divorce?
The Centre is holding divorce application workshops for
those seeking to file for divorce. A lawyer from the
Centre will be providing assistance filling out any
necessary paperwork and explaining the process of
obtaining a divorce. Register on 9484 7753
Tuesday 17th February - 10am-12pm at Preston Library
Tuesday 17 March - 10am-12pm at Preston Library
Wednesday 22 April - 6.30-8pm at Northcote Library
“You can’t apply for a divorce
until you have been separated
for at least 12 months”