Submission on the Development of Legal Aid Ontario’s “Domestic Violence Strategy”

In January 2016, LEAF provided a submission in response to Legal Aid Ontario’s public consultation process regarding the development of a “Domestic Violence Strategy”.

LEAF made four main submissions:

1. Legal Aid Ontario should consider the “Blueprint for a National Action Plan on Violence against Women and Girls” in developing its Domestic Violence Strategy.
2. A gender-based, survivor-directed approach is critical.
3. All Legal Aid Ontario staff, community legal clinics, and private bar panel lawyers who may interact with domestic violence survivors receive adequate and ongoing training. Legal Aid should ensure that this training includes an intersectional gender-based analysis of family and sexual violence cases and an understanding of the tactics an abuser will use during court proceedings. The training should also tackle myths and stereotypes about intimate partner violence, and promote awareness about how these myths and stereotypes persist in the legal system.
4. Legal Aid Ontario should play a greater systemic advocacy role in areas of relevance to legal service delivery for domestic violence clients.

Read and download the submission below.