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Difference between revisions of "My Partner Is Abusing Me and My Kids"
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My Partner Is Abusing Me and My Kids (view source)
Revision as of 01:20, 14 February 2012
, 01:20, 14 February 2012→First steps
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== First steps == | == First steps == | ||
# Make sure that you and your children are safe. This may mean leaving the family home for awhile and staying with friends or staying in a transition house. (Look in the Yellow Pages under "Crisis Centres" or call [[VictimLINK]]. The local police station can also give you information about transition houses and other victim services.) | # Make sure that you and your children are safe. This may mean leaving the family home for awhile and staying with friends or staying in a transition house. (Look in the Yellow Pages under "Crisis Centres" or call [[VictimLINK]]. The local police station can also give you information about transition houses and other victim services.) | ||
# If the abuse involves physical or sexual violence, consider reporting it to the police. Staff at local transition houses and victim services groups can support you in doing this. | # If the abuse involves physical or sexual violence, consider reporting it to the police. Staff at local transition houses and victim services groups can support you in doing this. If you want the abuser to stay away from you, you can ask the police to ask a judge for a "'''no contact order'''" to prevent or limit the abuser from having contact with you or your children. Ask the police to give you contact information for a victim services worker. | ||
# If you need a lawyer but cannot afford one on your own, see if you qualify for [[Legal Aid Representation|legal aid representation]]. If you qualify, the Legal Services Society will appoint a lawyer to advise you and represent you in Family Court. Victims are not usually entitled to representation by lawyers in criminal court. | # If you need a lawyer but cannot afford one on your own, see if you qualify for [[Legal Aid Representation|legal aid representation]]. If you qualify, the Legal Services Society will appoint a lawyer to advise you and represent you in Family Court. Victims are not usually entitled to representation by lawyers in criminal court. | ||
# If you have been in a relationship with the abuser, you or your lawyer can make an application to the Family Court or BC Supreme Court for an order preventing or limiting the abuser from having contact with you and/or your children. You can take this step instead of or in addition to reporting the abuse to the police. If you are acting on your own, follow the process described under "[[I just separated from the other parent of my children]]" in this Guide. | # If you have been in a relationship with the abuser, you or your lawyer can make an application to the Family Court or BC Supreme Court for an order preventing or limiting the abuser from having contact with you and/or your children. You can take this step instead of or in addition to reporting the abuse to the police. If you are acting on your own, follow the process described under "[[I just separated from the other parent of my children]]" in this Guide. | ||
