3. Contact a court program if you have a family or criminal law case

If you have a case in family or criminal court, there's special help available.

Criminal court

If your partner has been charged with a crime, the Victim Witness Assistance Program contacts you. Staff can:

explain the criminal court process and what you can expect as your partner's case moves ahead
give you emotional support
refer you to community services and resources

The Ontario government has a Victim Services Directory that can help you find programs and services in your community. You can also talk to an information and referral counsellor by calling the Victim Support Line at 1-888-579-2888.

If you have been charged with a crime, you can talk to the duty counsel lawyer at criminal court. Duty counsel can help you with your and may be able to give you other legal advice about your case.

Family court

Whether or not you have a lawyer, you may find it helpful to work with a Family Court Support Worker. These are professionals trained to support people in family court who have experienced violence.

Family Court Support Workers can help you make a safety plan and help with other things like:

explain the family court process
record your history of abuse for court documents
apply for legal aid
discuss what happened in court and at meetings with lawyers, so you know what to do next
speak with or refer you to services available in the community or in family or criminal court
go with you to court, if needed

Family Support Court Workers services are free and are available in every family court in Ontario. If you need help finding a Family Support Court Worker, call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888.