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Our Sydney domestic violence lawyers can help make an often difficult transition easier.
Domestic Violence Lawyers Sydney
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero (000).
For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT.
Domestic violence typically involves physical abuse, but can also mean:
Emotional abuse: Emotional or psychological abuse includes making someone feel belittled, isolated or worthless.
Financial abuse: This can include taking control of finances, preventing someone from working or forcing them to work under duress.
Sexual abuse: This includes any unwanted sexual contact, including sexual assault and rape.
Our team of experienced domestic violence lawyers in Sydney will provide quality legal services such as practical advice, and the know-how, to guide you through every step of the legal process in straightforward or complex domestic violence law matters.
stalking or intimidation: This can involve following someone, making persistent phone calls or sending threatening text messages.
Coercive control: This is a form of abuse currently being discussed by legislators as potentially being added as a crime (2022). Perpetrators who exhibit coercive control behaviours seek to deny autonomy and independence of (often) family members and intimate relationships.
Elder abuse: This abuse is perpetrated against people over the age of 60, grandparents, parents, friends and carers.
Child abuse: Any form of maltreatment of a child under the age of 18 by someone who is responsible for their care. This can include physical, emotional or sexual abuse, as well as neglect.
The above list is not exhaustive. Domestic violence can take many different forms and can happen to anyone.
There are many warning signs that you may be in an abusive relationship. These can include your partner:
- Regularly making put-downs or criticisms about you, your appearance, your intelligence or abilities
- Calling you names or criticising you in front of others
- Blaming you for the abuse or making excuses for their behaviour
- Preventing you from seeing your friends or family
- Controlling who you see, where you go or what you do
- Keeping track of your time, checking up on you or monitoring what you’re doing
- Putting restrictions on your finances or taking control of all the money
- Threatening violence against you, your children, other family members
Intimate partner violence is the most common type of domestic violence – it refers to physical violence committed by a current or former partner, whether married, de facto or in a same-sex relationship, but the effects of any type of domestic violence can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Victims of domestic violence may experience physical injuries, mental health problems, and financial difficulties as a result of the abuse.
How our Sydney domestic violence lawyers can help
Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) and Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO)
An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) is an order made by the court that prohibits the defendant from certain behaviour, such as harassment, stalking, intimidation, violence or the threat of violence. The purpose of an AVO is to provide protection from this behaviour in the future – it usually states that a person cannot behave as such or go within a certain distance of the home or workplace of the person lodging the complaint.
The Court can make an AVO if a defendant consents to an AVO being made, or if evidence is heard proving that a person in need of protection fears violence or harassment by the defendant. The magistrate also has to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for these fears in order to make an AVO.
There are 2 types of Apprehended Violence Orders:
If you need to make an Apprehended Violence Order, or if somebody has made and AVO against you, it is recommended to seek legal advice from an experienced solicitor immediately.
What happens if someone tries to make an AVO against you?
You can object to an Apprehended Violence Order being made against you and have the matter adjourned for trial at a later date. Under these circumstances, an interim AVO will be issued until the trial date
Our services
Our domestic violence lawyers in Sydney can provide assistance for a range of matters relating to family law and de facto relationships, including