We help self-identifying women aged 16 and over affected by violence and abuse by providing free legal information and advice through our helpline, legal surgeries and ongoing casework.
What you tell us and our advice to you is confidential. However, we might need to consider informing the police or other authorities if you tell us something where we think you are in danger, a child is in danger or if we think a crime is going to be committed. The information offered through our Legal Helpline is either provided by, or with supervision from, a qualified solicitor.
The helpline is available to any woman in Scotland who has experienced or is experiencing gender based violence and is looking for legal advice or information. It is run by our solicitors from JustRight Scotland and students from the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic.
It is free to call our helpline from most mobile phones and landlines. On request, we can arrange language interpreters.
The helpline can be extremely busy, please keep trying to get through.
Read our legal guides before calling as there may be information that will assist you. More specific legal advice can be provided by a solicitor at a surgery.
If you have an urgent legal query and are not able to get through to our helpline, we ask that you seek alternative legal advice. The Law Society of Scotland has a database of solicitors available here.
We offer fortnightly surgeries where appointments can be booked with our solicitor for legal information and advice. The surgeries take place in safe, women only centres located in the following places:
A trained support worker will be on hand if you wish to speak with her about the impact of your experience, how you are coping or how to access further support.
Find more information on your local surgery here.
Sometimes we are also able to provide free legal representation in cases where there is unmet or complex legal need, for example where a woman cannot afford a solicitor but is not eligible for legal aid. We would always have to consider the circumstances of the particular case, and our capacity.
If you are looking for representation read our take on process here and apply through the form.
Professionals who support or advocate for women victims/survivors of gender based violence can also contact us through our helpline to obtain legal information.
