Not sure if you have a problem? You can talk to us.
We will listen to you to understand what’s happening in your relationships and how it may be affecting your physical or emotional safety. Unsafe relationships can take away a person’s independence and equality.
We can provide free help with legal issues such as family violence, child support, property settlement after separation, child safety and workplace sexual harassment.
We can help women who are on a temporary visa, expired visa or without a visa with these issues as well.
Our lawyers can refer you to our financial counsellors and social workers for additional support as they help you through your legal issue. We recognise that legal issues are often complex and might involve more than one area of law - our lawyers can give you information or let you kmow who else can help with other legal issues outside of our specialist areas when needed.
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We offer telephone and face-to-face advice to women statewide, and work with trusted service providers in the community to meet with clients, ensuring that you can access legal support regardless of where you are in Tasmania.
In addition to our telephone or face-to-face legal information and advice, we can sometimes provide casework and legal representation in specific situations where we are able, providing support to clients with complex legal matters who otherwise would not be able to be supported.
To make an appointment, call 1800 682 468.
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With offices in Burnie, Hobart, and Launceston, we provide holistic assistance for women experiencing family and sexual violence through our Domestic Violence Unit integrated practice where lawyers, social workers and financial counsellors work together to help our clients.
We know that all women are different, with different needs, so we support each woman in ways that meet their individual circumstances. Often, women impacted by family and sexual violence are dealing with a range of legal and personal issues such as family violence orders; parenting; ongoing abuse and risks to the safety of their children and themselves; housing issues; and financial difficulties. So, our social workers and financial counsellors can provide added support as our clients move through the legal process
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Our social workers provide support and advocacy for women accessing our legal support. They often work closely with our lawyers to ensure that women have the information and empowerment they need to navigate often-complex legal processes.
Our social workers also provide trauma-informed emotional support and counselling to women we are supporting who have experienced trauma or abuse. They also advocate for women within the social and legal systems to ensure their rights are protected, their voices are heard, and their needs are met.
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Our financial counsellors help women we are supporting in legal matters to manage their financial situations. This supports them to achieve financial independence. Our financial counsellors provide information and resources to help women understand budgeting, debt management, credit and financial planning.
Financial counsellors conduct assessments of a financial situation to identify areas of concern or that may need assistance, and advocate for clients in financial matters such as communicating with creditors or financial institutions on their behalf.
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Financial Literacy:
Our Financial Literacy Officer provides workshops and information sessions in the community, including schools, clubs and in partnership with other organisations to build financial knowledge, capacity and independence.
Our Rule of Thumb podcast:
It’s hard to fix something we don’t really understand. We created the Rule of Thumb podcast to give a better understanding of issues like family violence, separation and sexual harassment. Host Penny Terry takes you into the offices of lawyers, researchers and support services, as well as the homes of people who have lived through it, to discuss these issues in an engaging and informative way.
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As well as advocating for the rights and needs of individual clients, we are a vocal advocate for women’s rights at local, state, and national levels.
We are an active member of Women’s Legal Services Australia (WLSA), and contribute to national committees, including those established by WLSA.
We lead awareness and advocacy on issues affecting women, such as family violence, gender inequality, gaps in service delivery, sexual harassment, child support, system and law reform. Through our advocacy work, we aim to develop more informed, engaging and helpful supports for women experiencing family and sexual violence.
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We understand that it may not be safe for you to call us. We also understand the time and travel difficulties for women living in regional areas to get to an appointment in a major population centre.
We have lawyers travelling the state who can meet with you at locations much closer to home. If is safe to do so, you can phone us on 1800 682 486 to book an appointment, or see our map to find an area near you where we provide outreach services so you can meet face-to-face with one of our lawyers.
If you’re worried about someone
It takes all of us to create change, and safely helping someone you’re worried about can be life-changing for that person. You can encourage them to contact Women’s Legal Service Tasmania by calling our advice line on 1800 682 468 to make an appointment for free, confidential advice from a lawyer.
If you are supporting someone who seeks legal advice from us, please be aware that our team must speak directly with the person seeking advice. We cannot advise anyone else on behalf of the person with the legal issue.
Our programs
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The Working Women’s Centre and the Sexual Harassment Program
The Working Women’s Centre provides women with information, advocacy, and advice on workplace issues, including entitlements and rights, gender issues, cultural diversity, discrimination and sexual harassment.
The centre offers face-to-face and phone appointments statewide.
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Temporary Visa Program
Our Temporary Visa Program is a statewide service for women who are on a temporary visa or don’t hold a current valid visa, who are experiencing or escaping family and/or sexual violence.
Our specialist lawyers offer confidential face-to-face or phone appointments statewide. They can provide information and advice about family law (parenting and property) and migration matters.
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Just Healthy Families
Just Healthy Families is a Health Justice Partnership collaboration by Women’s Legal Service Tasmania and Tasmania Legal Aid. This program embeds free legal help into health and social service settings with the aim of reducing family violence for all Tasmanians.
Co-locating Just Healthy Families' legal service in health and social services creates an opportunity for early legal invention by making legal services accessible and more responsive.
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Northeast Outreach
We offer regular weekly visits by our outreach lawyers to a range of locations in Tasmania’s north and northeast. This program gives women* in more isolated areas, who are impacted by family and/or sexual violence, the opportunity to have face-to-face appointments.
Phone appointments are always offered if participants are interested in this over a face-to-face appointment.
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prevention programs
All Come Out to Play! is aimed at preschoolers and their parents and carers. Consent Education delivered in partnership with Laurel House, offers respectful relationship and consent education to girls and young women aged 13 and up.
Where’s Your Line? gives adults the information and tools to be active bystanders. Our financial literacy program aims to build financial robustness, lessening the chance of financial abuse and helping people to more easily recognise it if it is happening to someone they know.
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Community Legal Education
We deliver workshops and legal education sessions, and produce resources, to help make legal information more accessible, and more meaningful, to more people. The more we all understand about the physical, emotional, and financial impacts of violence against women, the better allies we can all become, the better we can respond as bystanders and the better we can offer support as friends, colleagues and community members.
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FREE 1800 helpline
If there is something going on in your life, but you’re not sure if you have a legal problem, you can call 1800 682 468 to arrange a free appointment to talk with a lawyer.
Our lawyers can give you legal advice, explain your legal options and refer you to legal and other support services if you need that type of help.
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Domestic Violence Units
With offices in Burnie, Hobart, and Launceston, we provide holistic assistance for women experiencing family and sexual violence.
We know that all women are different, with different needs, so we support each woman in ways that meet their individual circumstances. Often, women impacted by family and sexual violence are dealing with a range of legal and personal issues such as family violence orders; parenting; ongoing abuse and risks to the safety of their children and themselves; housing issues; and financial difficulties. So, our social workers and financial counsellors can provide added support as our clients move through the legal process.