Women Against Abuse Legal Center

Programs: The women against abuse legal center is the only comprehensive legal service provider in philadelphia specifically dedicated to addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence, and one of the first in the nation. In addition, it is the only agency with on-site offices in philadelphia family court, allowing attorneys to more effectively outreach to and serve clients. The women against abuse legal center empowers women and men who have been abused to navigate the justice system by providing attorney representation, court advocacy and telephone counseling. Experienced staff members work with victims to secure legal protections relating to both criminal and civil matters, including protection from abuse orders, sexual violence and intimidation orders, child custody and child support. Women against abuse attorneys have extensive experience in navigating legal systems and addressing the issues of domestic violence in a sensitive manner that empowers clients. Several of these attorneys also bring specialized experience in the unique needs of distinct subpopulations, such as victims of stalking and victims who are immigrants. In fiscal year 2017, the women against abuse legal center served over 3,741 victims of domestic violence, including 878 victims at highest risk lethality through an innovative partnership with the philadelphia police dept. Over the past year, attorneys provided free representation or follow-up legal support to 1,741 individuals; court advocates served 1,000 clients in civil and criminal court; and paralegals and support staff members provided legal advocacy, information and resources to 692 victims at crucial points of need in the justice system, including in the probation department, the general filing unit of philadelphia family court, and for families involved in the child welfare system. The women against abuse legal center also provided 726 telephone counseling sessions to clients in fiscal year 2017. Women against abuse has opened access to its free legal representation for victims like never before through a fast-track attorney program, which places attorneys directly in courtrooms where protection from abuse cases are heard. The organization is also able to leverage pro bono support through the fast track attorney program by partnering with local law firms, thus expanding capacity to serve vulnerable populations further. In fiscal year 2017, pro bono attorneys provided assistance to 28 victims. The women against abuse legal center expanded its capacity to provide representation for victims seeking custody of their children over the past two years, and is prioritizing representation for victims of domestic violence who are immigrants, due to the added dangers that this population faces. The legal center is also highly engaged in systems change work that will improve philadelphia's response to domestic violence by ensuring effective screening and intervention for victims, while holding perpetrators accountable and offering them alternatives to violence. Recently, the women against abuse legal center: successfully advocated - alongside the philadelphia district attorney's office and the pennsylvania coalition against domestic violence - for the state legislature to pass a bill which made strangulation of an intimate partner a felony; successfully opposed a supreme court rule which would mandate that victims who are granted custody through a protection from abuse order must file a custody action within 30 days; co-chaired the language access task force of the philadelphia bar association, as part of ongoing advocacy efforts for effective use of interpreters and language access in the courts; and worked with the custody committee and family law section to successfully amend proposals regarding custody mediation to better protect victims of domestic violence.