Whittlesea CALD Communities Family Violence Research Report 2012 | Page 56
55
Provision of Information about Legal Rights and Support Services
Responses from consultations with women and service providers correspond with findings from the
literature that CALD women often lack knowledge about their legal rights, the availability of support
services and this presents a barrier to gaining access to services and asserting legal rights.
The literature emphasises the importance of ensuring that information regarding family violence, the
Australian legal system and support services is provided to CALD communities both prior to
migration and after arrival in Australia, with particular emphasis placed on the provision of
information and education regarding legal rights. (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2011,
Dimopoulos, 2010, Fisher, 2009, InTouch Inc., 2010, Raj & Silverman, 2002). The Australian Law
Reform Commission Report notes that the De \?Y[??[[ZY?][? ??Y\? ?] [Y[?? ???[\? ??]? H\??]?YZY?[? ?[? ?Y?Y?Y\? ][?? Y\? ??Y[?? ?X?[???X][??]??X??[Y[? ? ]?X]\???X??][??] ?Y[?ZY?][? ?\??X?H ??Y\????[][?] HY?[??[? ?\?[?[? \? ?H??Y\?\??YYY ?[??\?H ][???X][? ?Y?\?[??ZY?][?]?[? B??[Z[ H ?[?[??H^?\ [? ?XX?\? ?\?H\ X?[? ?[? ?\?H?\??
]\? ?[X[?]??Y??B???[Z\??[? ? LJK??\? \??] ? ? ?]Y?H??[??\?[???X]\?X??\?? ? H?[Z[ H ?[?[??H^?\ [? HS???\??[ ?? ?X??[Y[? ? ] H]\? ?[X[???\??Y[? ??[][?] HY?[?[? ?\?[?[? \? ?H??Y\???X??]H ? ??YH ?Z[?[??[?Y X?][? ?8?&??\][? \?????&K?
]\? ?[X[?]??Y??B???[Z\??[? ? LK ?L
H]?Y[??H???H??\][? \????\??X?X[[?\?X?\?[?? H^\?[??B???[Z[ H ?[?[??H ?\?H \?H\????YX?X[]?Y[??H
K??[?\??[?[??\?K???\][? \????]?H ?X?X[\?^ \?\?H[????Y?H\??[Z[ H ?[?[??H ?\??X?H ??Y\???]???\?? ?\?^ ?\??Y ] ^HX^H??]?H ?Y??X?Y[????Y?H?ZY?][?]?
]\? ?[X[?]??Y??B???[Z\??[? ? LK ?L MLJB???[][?] HY?[Y X?][?\?H??[[?\?X???[Z[ H ?[?[??H ?]?[?[?Y??? ?
[[??[???? L
HH]\?] \?H\?X?\?\? ] ??\?[??[???X][?X??] ?Y? ?\?[\??\?[??
[??X??[?? ? L ?\?X?H[??] ]H???]\??? [X?XK ?
?H[? \?\? ?Y?X?Y[? H ?\???\???S???Y[????[ Y?? H ???[??^\??\?K?[[??[?? ?[? ??] ] ?[ ? \?H]?H?Y[???[Y\??\?Y X?][?[?[\??\?Y[? ???[\?Z[YY]?]?[?[Y\??[????[][?]Y\? \?B?\??Y[? ?\?H] H]?[ X][?? HY??X?]?[?\??? ?X? ???[\?[? H ?]?[?[?? ?[?[??B?N?[[??[?? ? L
K? ?]?[???]?Y[??H ??YY?H ?YH?\?H ? YY\? [[??[????? Y\]?X??? ]?[?[\ ??H H]?[????Y?H? H]?\?] ?[]\? ??[Z[ H ?[?[??H[???S??[][?]Y\?[?? YHY? [??H ??H???[][?] H\ ??X?[??? ?[????Y[?[????Y[?[??? ?[??8?&8?)? ?\?Y??[][?] HYY][\? ????^H?^HY\??Y?\??&K?Z[[?? H?\X?] H????[][?] HXY\?? ? [?\??[? H[\X???[Z[ H ?[?[??H[? ?Y??X??[??H[? Z\????[][?]Y\?
\?\? ??? ? L ?M
K ??Y[??[???X][??X?H ??X?H\? ?[\? ??Y? ?] [??X]\?X[ ??Z[[?? ?[][??\ ?[? ?\? ?][?]?Y X[??[][?]Y\?
[[??[?? ? L ?M??\?\? ??? ? L
K?[??X? ?Y??\? ?[???X][? ??\?[? ??Y?Y X?][?[? ???? ?[??\??[??XY?H?\??\?X]\??[?[X[ ?\??\??[? ?[[??[? ?] [Y[? ?\??X?\?
[??X?[???? L ???HH]\?] \?H [?\?[?\? H[\?[??H? ??Y[??[???X][?X\? H[? H ?] [Y[?? ???\??
]\? ?[X[?]??Y??H??[Z\??[? ? LK[??X?[?? ? L ?Z? ??[ ?\?X[? ? ?B??&8?)?[???X][??YY ? ? ?XX? ??Y[? ???\?[??H ?Z[????Y ?\X]Y x?&H
[??X?[?? ? L ? ???K?Y?[[\??\?Y[? ? ?]Y?Y\????S??[][?]Y\? ??[[ ??[?? YH ] ?^\? ?]?Y\?? ?]^ \????Y?H??[Z[?[ ZY?][?[??[Z[ H]?
?Z? ??[ ?\?X[? ? ?K???N???\?X?H???Y?Y?Y\? ???[K?X??XN?\?[H? ??\??[?[??HY?Z[????Y[?\?[ZX???Y[??&\??[?\?H??[??[?Y?[?[???X][? ??X????Y[?\?H[?] ?[? ?H??Y??X?[?]\? ?[X[???Y[????