Lander & Rogers has formalised its partnership with Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria (FVPLS Victoria) after years of collaboration.
“Aboriginal women are 34 times more likely to suffer family violence than non-Aboriginal women and 10 times more likely to die at the hands of their partners,” said Antoinette Braybrook, CEO of FVPLS Victoria.
The organisation provides vital support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children who are experiencing or at risk of family violence, she said. The organisation provides culturally safe and holistic legal services, as well as early intervention and prevention programs that build resilience and cultural strength to reduce vulnerability to violence.
“FVPLS services provide essential legal and non-legal supports to ensure that our women are safe and that they have voice,” Braybrook said. “However, regrettably, our services are substantially under-funded.”
The partnership makes a substantial contribution to assisting the organisation provide services, she said. Lander & Rogers has been assisting the organisation in projects such as the Koori Women’s Meeting Place.
The partnership recognises the firm’s desire to contribute to building sustainable responses to unmet legal need in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and particularly to enhance access to justice for women experiencing family violence, said Joanna Renkin, Landers & Rogers pro bono and community support partner.
“We recognise FVPLS Victoria as the expert in the field,” Renkin said.
Lander & Rogers Chief Executive Partner Andrew Willder said that FVPLS Victoria has a proven track record in successfully tackling the occurrence and underlying causes of family violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
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(L-R: Nick Toonen - General Manager, FVPLS Victoria; Joanna Renkin - Pro Bono & Community Support Partner, Lander & Rogers; Antoinette Braybrook - CEO, FVPLS Victoria; Andrew Willder - Chief Executive Partner, Lander & Rogers)
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