Wiltshire domestic abuse charity launches legal clinics in response to increased demand for advice
Wiltshire charity FearFree are offering service users free legal advice
A domestic abuse charity in Wiltshire's launched legal clinics for service users in response to a growing volume of calls from people seeking advice on the legal system.
It comes as domestic violence charity Refuge says its recorded a 40% increase in people calling their helpline for legal advice.
Gemma Vinton from FearFree says they've also been getting more calls from people wanting legal guidance.
"The majority of calls that we have will have some sort of question around legal, whether that be immigration advice, child contact or child law advice, divorce advice, separation of assets, housing advice, a whole kind of range of different things."
The charity's responded by launching legal clinics in association with Gough Solicitors.
Once a month, a free clinic is put on for current service users, giving them an opportunity to access legal advice at no cost.
Gemma said: "It helps them find out about their situation, what opportunities are available to them, what are the kind of legal wrangling's that might need to be considered."
Is more people reaching out good or bad?
Greatest Hits Radio asked Gemma if more people in abusive relationships calling for legal advice, is a concern.
"It could be seen as both negative and positive," she said, adding: [It's a real positive that we've got that support in place and that people can access that that assistance.
"But I think you know there's always more that can be done to help people and actually we would always advocate that more legal aid was available that you know more people were able to able to get assistance through legal aid with family court matters and that kind of thing."
Improved Police and CPS support
This all comes off the back of the Police and CPS launching a Joint Justice Plan, aimed at improving investigations into and prosecutions of domestic abuse.
It also hopes to ensure victims and survivors receive better support and more perpetrators are brought to justice.
Gemma's hopeful it's a step in the right direction.
"I'm really hopeful that we will see that joint justice plan in the domestic abuse arena make things better for victims and survivors, so listen to their voice, a better understanding from police and CPS, as to the additional trauma that sometimes can come from the criminal justice system."
She added that the Police and CPS recognising the impact abuse has on victims and survivors, as well as society generally, is a positive step for everyone.