Advocaat.be calls for better legal protection for victims of intra-family violence
Advocaat.be reacts with great concern to the recent reports about victims of intra-family violence not being able to rely on their legal aid insurance.
Legal aid should not be a luxury but a fundamental right. Victims of intra-family violence should not be further left out in the cold by a system that fails to protect them
Access to justice must be guaranteed
Access to legal aid is a fundamental right and should not depend on casual residence or restrictive insurance clauses. Advocaat.be stresses the importance of legal aid, especially for financially vulnerable groups and victims of serious violent crimes. In its plans, the federal government itself underlines the importance of accessible legal assistance and support. Yet the reality appears to be that victims of intra-family violence fall between the cracks.
Call for structural solutions
Victims who cannot claim a pro bono lawyer because they are just above the income threshold and at the same time cannot claim their legal aid insurance are in a legal vacuum. Advocaat.be therefore advocates for structural solutions that ensure these victims get the legal assistance they need, without thresholds or discrimination.
Collaboration with policymakers and insurance industry
Advocaat.be calls on the insurance industry and policymakers to urgently work towards a solution. The legal profession stands ready to work constructively towards a solution that strengthens victims' legal protection.
Victims of intrafamily violence deserve not only protection from physical and psychological violence, but also a legal system that supports them when they need it most
Need for multidisciplinary legal assistance
Legal help is essential, but only one piece of the puzzle. Victims of intra-family violence need not only a lawyer, but also psychosocial support to rebuild their lives. Advocaat.be stresses that a multidisciplinary approach is crucial: lawyers must be able to cooperate with other social workers without compromising their professional secrecy or independence.
Backlog Victims' Fund
In addition, Advocaat.be highlights the urgent need to address the backlog at the Victims' Fund. It currently still takes two years to process applications, which is far too long, especially as this is often the last step in legal proceedings that have been going on for years. It is important that this is done faster so that victims are not left in limbo any longer.
Dropping victims? Not an option.
Every day, victims of intrafamily violence face physical and psychological harm. The final blow should not come from a system that abandons them. Advocaat.be remains committed to a legal system where everyone, regardless of their situation, can count on legal assistance.
Latest press releases
16 lawyers scrapped in 2022-2023
The College of Supervision of the Flemish Legal Profession has published its fourth report. This provides an overview of disciplinary proceedings against lawyers in Flanders (including Brussels-Dutch) in the judicial year running from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023.
Strong democracies benefit from a full legal perspective on human rights and migration
Legal aid is already there: Advocaat.be highlights existing legal aid
Following the launch of the "Advocaat van wacht" app, developed by criminal lawyer Kristof Lauwens and his brother Bram, Advocaat.be highlights the already existing system of first-line legal assistance organised through the bar associations across Belgium. Advocaat.be remains committed to further strengthening the accessibility of independent legal advice.