Province to offer free legal advice to sexual assault victims

Ontario has launched a pilot program to offer freelegal advice to survivors of sexual assault.

Startingon Tuesday, people in Toronto, Ottawa and Thunder Baywho were sexually assaulted in the province can access up to fourhours of free, confidential advice from a lawyer -- over the phone orin person.

The free legal services will be available to both women and menwho are at least 16 years old, regardless of how much time haspassed since the incident.

The pilot project is expected to run until March 2018.

The lawyers involved in the free advice program will not providelegal representation or speak for the client in court, but they mayadvise sexual assault survivors to speak to a lawyer who canrepresent them.

The government says one in three women and one in six menexperience some form of sexual assault in their lives.

Attorney General Yasir Naqvi says offering sexual assaultsurvivors free legal advice "is key to helping them make decisionsabout what is best for them as they move forward."

Eligible men and women can access the free legal advice byfilling out and submitting a voucher request form online (at
ontario.ca/legaladvice).

In addition, women living in the Toronto also have the option toaccess the program directly through the Barbra SchliferCommemorative Clinic.