Standing Up for Survivors of Domestic Abuse

In England and Wales, one in four women experiences domestic abuse during her lifetime. Every week, two women are killed by a current or former partner, and three women take their own lives due to domestic abuse. Countless others suffer in silence.

For many domestic abuse survivors, legal protection remains beyond reach because of financial challenges, a complex web of laws, or the prospect of facing one’s abuser alone in court without legal representation. Many survivors have no choice but to return to life-threatening relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic only heightened these issues.

In 2022, we joined six law firms to launch the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA). The alliance bridges the gap in legal services by donating free legal counsel to domestic abuse survivors in London who cannot afford the costs of private representation. The program provides individuals with legal counsel from the outset to the conclusion of court proceedings through which they can seek protective injunctions against their abusers.

“We can no longer simply view domestic abuse through the lens of physical violence alone, and many survivors face an arduous journey to escape their abuser. That courage merits support, regardless of age, gender, economic need, or immigration status, which DARA aims to deliver.”

Jessica Walker, partner, London

In partnership with LawWorks, a leading UK charity committed to enabling access to justice through free legal advice, and Beck Fitzgerald, specialists in family law, our lawyers compassionately guide clients through a traumatic process — confronting their abusers in court — with empathy and skill. Collectively, DARA’s board has more than 50 years of experience acting for survivors of domestic abuse and delivering pro bono projects at scale. Participating lawyers offer end-to-end representation.

To have an advocate acting on their behalf is fundamentally life-changing for DARA clients. “From the first meeting with [my legal team], I felt . . . understood,” said a DARA client. “I felt so supported by my lawyer, and I felt that I wasn’t on my own with what was going on in my life.” Another client said, “After living with [threats and abuse] hanging over me I can now get my life back to normal and not have to fear who is at the door or what’s coming in the post.”

To date, DARA includes more than 250 volunteer lawyers from participating firms who have collectively acted for dozens of domestic abuse survivors, ages 18 to 86, who have experienced sexual abuse, physical violence, control, coercion, economic abuse, stalking, and harassment. DARA lawyers regularly appear as advocates across the London Family Courts and as far away as Wales, each time paving the way for a positive, transformative outcome for the client. DARA also seeks to extract real-time learning around the challenges faced in the Family Courts to inform domestic abuse policy.

“This interfirm alliance provides a crucial lifeline for survivors of domestic abuse, and I am incredibly proud to be part of a group of lawyers that represents individuals in their hour of greatest need,” said partner Jessica Walker, who volunteers with DARA. “We can no longer simply view domestic abuse through the lens of physical violence alone, and many survivors face an arduous journey to escape their abuser. That courage merits support, regardless of age, gender, economic need, or immigration status, which DARA aims to deliver.”