Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria. It is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication.

We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

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Other support for violence, abuse and personal safety

Learn where to get legal help and other support for violence, abuse and personal safety.

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Are you thinking about separating, or experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence?

The My safety tool can assist you to understand common separation issues, connect you with services and help you plan for your safety.

Get started with My safety

On this page

Emergency help

If you do not feel safe and need urgent help, do not wait. Phone 000 and ask for the police.

How we can help

We can give you free legal information and answer questions about the law.

We also give free legal advice to people who need it most.

Contact us for information about:

  • how we can help you
  • family violence intervention orders
  • personal safety intervention orders
  • child protection matters.

To learn how to contact us visit:

If we cannot help you, we can refer you to organisations that can.

Free publications

To order free self-help guides and publications about the law visit Publications and resources.

My safety tool

You can use our My safety tool to help plan for your safety and separation if you have experienced domestic, family or sexual violence.

Family violence and family violence intervention orders

Community legal centres

A community legal centre may be able to give you legal information and advice.

Some centres have lawyers who can:

  • give you legal advice at court
  • represent you (speak for you) at your hearing.

Most services are free.

Learn more at the Federation of Community Legal Centres website:

Specialist legal services

These legal services may be able to help you:

  • Djirra – legal services for people who have experienced family violence who are Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, or a parent or carer of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child.
  • inTouch Women's Legal Centre – legal services for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
  • Q+Law – legal services for Victorian LGBTIQA+SB communities.
  • Refugee Legal – legal services for asylum seekers, refugees and disadvantaged migrants.
  • Seniors Rights Victoria – legal services for older people experiencing family violence or elder abuse.
  • Victims Legal Service – legal services helping victims of crime to get financial help or compensation, protect counselling and health information, and report to police.
  • Women's Legal Service Victoria – legal services for women experiencing family violence, separation or divorce.
  • Youthlaw – legal services for young people under 25.

Private lawyers

You can find your own lawyer. A lawyer can:

  • give you information about the law and going to court
  • give you legal advice
  • represent you at court.

Law Institute of Victoria’s Find Your Lawyer Referral Service may help you find a lawyer who best suits your needs.

All law firms in the Find Your Lawyer Referral Service give a free 30-minute interview. Note that this is not 30 minutes of free legal advice. You can use the interview to understand more about:

  • your legal problem
  • your options
  • how much you will have to pay for the lawyer.

Tip: The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner has a short video and easy English fact sheet listing questions to ask about legal costs before hiring a private lawyer.

Visit Six questions to ask about legal costs.

Private lawyers who provide legal aid

Some law firms can apply for legal aid to work on family violence intervention order cases. This means you do not have to pay for their service. Legal aid is only available for people who need it most.

You can search our list of Partner firms we work with that provide legal aid.

Courts and court support

Magistrates' Court of Victoria

Visit the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria website to:

Support services are available at many courts to give you non-legal help. These include:

This support is free and optional. It may be in person or over the phone.

Contact your local court to learn more and check availability.

When you arrive at court, you can also ask the family violence registrar whether any support workers are available that day.

Children’s Court of Victoria

You can apply for an intervention order through the Children’s Court of Victoria if you are:

  • aged between 14 and 17 and applying for yourself
  • applying for your child who is under 18 if you are not applying for an order for yourself in the Magistrates’ Court.

The Children’s Court has Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. If you would like to talk to a Koori Court Officer, contact the court or tell the registrar when you arrive.

Court Network

Court Network volunteers support people going to court. They can tell you about how court works and support you at court. They cannot give legal advice.

Learn more at How we can help.

To book support, contact Court Network as soon as possible. When you arrive at court, you can also ask court staff whether any Court Network volunteers are available that day.

Information and referral officers

Information and referral officers give support and information to people going to court.

Learn How information and referral officers can help with family violence matters.

Family Advocacy and Support Services at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

If your matter is at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, our Family Advocacy and Support Services are available at:

  • the Family Law Registry in Melbourne and Dandenong
  • Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Mildura and Morwell when the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is sitting on circuit.

If you have experienced, used or been accused of using family violence:

  • a duty lawyer can help with your legal problem
  • family violence and mental health support workers can help you work through other issues.

Family violence support services

People who have experienced family violence can contact the following services:

  • 1800RESPECT – family, domestic or sexual violence counselling and support (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Djirra’s Individual Support Service – for Aboriginal women and their children who are dealing with family violence, or have experienced it in the past and are still not safe
  • inTouch – support for victim-survivors from migrant and refugee backgrounds
  • No to Violence – support and referrals for those seeking information for their male partners, friends or family members who use family violence
  • Safe and Equal’s Find a service – search for specialist family violence services
  • Safe Steps – family violence response centre (24 hours a day, 7 days a week); they may be able to help you find a safe place to stay if you need to leave your home immediately
  • Sexual Assault Services Victoria – sexual assault information and support (you can also Find a sexual assault service in Victoria)
  • Switchboard Victoria – LGBTIQA+ support services
  • The Orange Door – help for people who are experiencing family violence or who need support with the care and wellbeing of children or young people
  • WIRE – support, referrals and information on any issue for women and gender diverse people.

People who have used or been accused of using family violence can contact the following services:

Other services

Other services that may be able to help you:

Publications and videos

Our publications and videos

Videos about going to court for family violence matters:

Publications for people who have experienced family violence:

Publications for people who have used or been accused of using family violence:

For legal information on other topics, search our free Publications and resources.

Resources from other organisations

Eastern Community Legal Centre

Steps 2 Safety is a video explaining the family violence intervention order process. The video is available in Arabic, Chin – Hakha, Chinese – Mandarin, Dinka, English and Punjabi.

inTouch

Understanding coercive control is a simple English guide for migrant and refugee women. Find it at Legal centre resources.

Peninsula Community Legal Centre

Visit Our videos and podcasts for a video about how to identify coercive control and where to get help. The video is available in English with subtitles in Arabic, Dari and Hindi.

Sexual Assault Services Victoria

Resources on understanding sexual violence.

St Kilda Community Legal Service

Youth in action is a video for young people about speaking up and taking action if someone you know is experiencing or using family violence.

WIRE

Information and fact sheets on Family violence.

Child protection

How we can help

For some matters, we can provide a lawyer to help run your case – learn more at Paying for a lawyer.

We may be able to do this if you are a:

  • child aged 10 to 17
  • parent or other person trying to have a child in your care.

Other organisations that can help

Independent Family Advocacy and Support

Independent Family Advocacy and Support help parents and primary carers involved in the early stages of the child protection system. They provide non-legal advocacy and support.

Aboriginal legal services

If you or your child is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you may choose to contact an Aboriginal legal service:

Help for young people

Kids Helpline is a free, confidential and anonymous counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. You can talk to Kids Helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the phone or through their website.

Personal safety intervention orders

Community legal centres

A community legal centre may be able to give you legal information and advice.

Some centres have lawyers who can:

  • give you legal advice at court
  • represent you (speak for you) at your hearing.

Most services are free.

Learn more at the Federation of Community Legal Centres website:

Specialist legal services

These legal services may be able to help you:

  • Djirra – legal services for people who have experienced sexual assault who are Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, or a parent or carer of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child.
  • Q+Law – legal services for Victorian LGBTIQA+SB communities.
  • Seniors Rights Victoria – legal services for people experiencing elder abuse.
  • Victims Legal Service – legal services helping victims of crime to get financial help or compensation, protect counselling and health information, and report to police.
  • Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service – legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They can help with some personal safety intervention order matters.
  • Youthlaw – legal services for young people under 25.

Private lawyers

You can find your own lawyer. A lawyer can:

  • give you information about the law and going to court
  • give you legal advice
  • represent you at court.

Law Institute of Victoria’s Find Your Lawyer Referral Service may help you find a lawyer who best suits your needs.

All law firms in the Find Your Lawyer Referral Service give a free 30-minute interview. Note that this is not 30 minutes of free legal advice. You can use the interview to understand more about:

  • your legal problem
  • your options
  • how much you will have to pay for the lawyer.

Tip: The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner has a short video and easy English fact sheet listing questions to ask about legal costs before hiring a private lawyer.

Visit Six questions to ask about legal costs.

Courts and court support

Magistrates' Court of Victoria

Visit the Magistrates’ Court website to:

Many courts have support services that can help you. This may be in person or over the phone. To arrange support, contact the court as soon as possible or ask court staff when you arrive at court.

Children’s Court of Victoria

You can apply for an intervention order through the Children’s Court of Victoria if you are:

  • aged between 14 and 17
  • applying for an order against someone who is aged between 14 and 17
  • applying for your child who is under 18 if you are not applying for an order for yourself in the Magistrates’ Court.

The Children’s Court has Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. If you would like to talk to a Koori Court Officer, contact the court or tell the registrar when you arrive.

Court Network

Court Network volunteers support people going to court. They can tell you about how court works and support you at court. They cannot give legal advice.

Learn more at How we can help.

To book support, contact Court Network as soon as possible. When you arrive at court, you can also ask court staff whether any Court Network volunteers are available that day.

Support services

You may find these services helpful:

  • 1800RESPECT – family, domestic or sexual violence counselling and support (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Kids Helpline – support and counselling (talking through problems) for people aged 5 to 25 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Lifeline – crisis support (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • MensLine Australia – phone and online counselling services for men (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Parentline – counselling and support on parenting issues for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old
  • Sexual Assault Services Victoria – sexual assault information and support (you can also Find a sexual assault service in Victoria)
  • Switchboard Victoria – LGBTIQA+ support services
  • Tenants Victoria – information and advice about housing and neighbour disputes
  • The Orange Door – help for people who need support with the care and wellbeing of children or young people
  • Victims of Crime – information and support for people affected by crime
  • WIRE – support, referrals and information on any issue for women and gender diverse people.

Publications

Our publications:

For legal information on other topics, search our free Publications and resources.

Resources from other organisations

Sexual Assault Services Victoria

Resources on understanding sexual violence.

Victims of Crime

Victims of Crime offers information and support to people affected by crime, including:

WIRE

Information and resources on a range of topics, including What is stalking?

Violent behaviour

Help for people who have used or been accused of violent behaviour.

How we can help

You can request Help Before Court for criminal charges if:

  • there are criminal charges against you
  • your court date is more than six days away.

For some matters, we can provide a lawyer to run your case. Learn more at Paying for a lawyer.

Community legal centres

A community legal centre may be able to give you legal information and advice.

Some centres have lawyers who can:

  • give you legal advice at court
  • represent you (speak for you) at your hearing.

Most services are free.

Learn more at the Federation of Community Legal Centres website:

Specialist legal services

These legal services may be able to help you:

Private lawyers

You can find your own lawyer. A lawyer can:

  • give you information about the law and going to court
  • give you legal advice
  • represent you at court.

Law Institute of Victoria’s Find Your Lawyer Referral Service may help you find a lawyer who best suits your needs.

All law firms in the Find Your Lawyer Referral Service give a free 30-minute interview. Note that this is not 30 minutes of free legal advice. You can use the interview to understand more about:

  • your legal problem
  • your options
  • how much you will have to pay for the lawyer.

Tip: The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner has a short video and easy English fact sheet listing questions to ask about legal costs before hiring a private lawyer.

Visit Six questions to ask about legal costs.

Courts and court support

Magistrates' Court of Victoria

To find contact details for your local court and others, visit Find a court.

Many courts have support services that can help you. This may be in person or over the phone. To arrange support, contact the court as soon as possible or ask court staff when you arrive at court.

Children’s Court of Victoria

The Children’s Court of Victoria hears some cases against people who were between 10 and 17 years old at the time they allegedly did the crime.

The Children’s Court has Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. If you would like to talk to a Koori Court Officer, contact the court or tell the registrar when you arrive.

Court Network

Court Network volunteers support people going to court. They can tell you about how court works and support you at court. They cannot give legal advice.

Learn more at How we can help.

To book support, contact Court Network as soon as possible. When you arrive at court, you can also ask court staff whether any Court Network volunteers are available that day.

Support services

You may find these services helpful:

  • DirectLine – alcohol and drug counselling and referral (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Futures Free from Violence – for women, trans and gender diverse people who have used family violence
  • Kids Helpline – support and counselling (talking through problems) for people aged 5 to 25 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • MensLine Australia – phone and online counselling services for men (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • No to Violence – services and counselling for men who use family violence (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
  • Relationships Australia Victoria – programs for men who use family violence
  • Switchboard Victoria – LGBTIQA+ support services
  • The Orange Door – support for people using family violence who want to change their behaviour
  • WIRE – support, referrals and information on any issue for women and gender diverse people.

Publications

These resources may help you understand:

  • crimes
  • police powers
  • what to do if you go to court for criminal charges.

Our publications:

For legal information on other topics, search our free Publications and resources.

Resources from other organisations

Animal Welfare Victoria

Information about Dog attacks, dangerous and menacing dogs.

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