For the last year, I’ve had the unique opportunity to take part in the domestic violence trainings for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. In each training, we would address the many barriers that survivors of domestic violence face in finding safety and stability. Throughout this process, I often felt a twinge knowing that our domestic violence program addressed only a small portion of the barriers facing survivors, due to the fact that the protections and remedies provided by a family violence protective order are only temporary.

However, the launch of AVLF’s new family law program, which includes a social worker, allows us to address our survivors’ family law needs—such as divorce and custody—in a more comprehensive and permanent manner. Frequently, survivors attempt to leave an abusive relationship seven or more times before finally succeeding, falling into a destructive pattern. The most dangerous time for our survivors is the period when they attempt to leave their relationship, as their abusers lose the control and power over the survivor that define domestic violence.

Thanks to our new family law program, not only do survivors gain access to the knowledge and expertise of the volunteer attorneys to guide them through a complicated and difficult legal process, but the volunteer attorneys gain exposure to the gratitude and kindness of clients in desperate need of their assistance. This gratitude serves as a reminder of the reason why many of us became family law attorneys.

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