Tasmania Aboriginal Legal Service will launch a new family violence prevention legal service – SIS – Support, Information & Strength – at 11am, Monday, September 19.

TALS Acting-State Manager Hannah Phillips said TALS received funding for SIS through the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

“The service will be for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Tasmania,” Ms Phillips said.

“It will provide a family violence prevention legal service to support victim/survivors of family violence and sexual abuse in Tasmania in 2021.

“The $1.1 million project will provide the service until the end of 2023. We hope to engage in further negotiations as soon as possible to secure ongoing funding for this crucial service.”

Ms Phillips said SIS will be run by Managing Lawyer Emma Smith.

“SIS will ensure clients receive both legal and non-legal, holistic, wraparound wellbeing support,” Ms Smith said.

“SIS will provide non-legal case management services and individualised referral, information and support services.”

“Our lawyers and client engagement coordinators will work together to avoid a victim/survivor needing to re-tell their story a multitude of times.

“We will ensure both legal and holistic non-legal needs are met and provide opportunities to improve legal outcomes.”

WHAT: Launch of SIS

WHERE: tagari lia Child & Family Centre, 23 Green Point Rd, Bridgewater

WHEN: 11am, Monday, September 19

Special Note: TALS Managing Lawyer Emma Smith will be available for media interview. There will other stakeholders available as well as children at the Centre able to filmed/photoragphed.

Ms Phillips said TALS also received funding of $623,000 over a four-year period as part of the increased legal assistance for vulnerable women.

“With this extra funding, TALS will expand ‘SIS’ service to Northern Tasmania.”

SIS will provide: community engagement and education, legal information, advice, case management, counselling services, referrals, and the opportunity for people to have a voice and choice about their future.

“SIS will be provided in a culturally safe environment.”

Lee-Anne Carter, TALS Community Engagement and Programs Manager said the experiences of Aboriginal family violence victims are often ignored.

“A lack of cultural awareness and little insight into the impact of Aboriginality and its intersectionality with family violence often leads to the misidentification of victims,” Ms Carter said.

“There must be culturally appropriate and holistic responses to meet the needs of Aboriginal victims.”

Media Contact: A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732