D) LEGAL AID

Ellis, Megan. Legal Process for Battered Women: A Manual for Intermediaries. 6th Edition. Vancouver, BC: Legal Services Society of BC, 1997.

This manual provides an overview and description of the legal options available to women who are in, or leaving, an abusive relationship. The manual has been written as a guide for front-line workers in the legal and social services fields who are assisting battered women. The manual consists of an introduction, five substantive chapters (The First Steps, An Outline of the Court System, Civil Remedies, Criminal Remedies, and Administrative Remedies) and a resource section which includes copies of legal forms (e.g., "Property and Financial Statement, Supreme Court Form 89") and lists of community and provincial resources available to battered women.

The manual reflects a feminist perspective both in its approach to providing support to battered women (i.e., recognizing the need to offer supportive non-judgmental assistance, and to be sensitive to varying cultural attitudes regarding family), and in its evaluation of how the criminal justice system responds to wife assault cases. The manual provides accurate and helpful information that would be of interest to all front-line workers who find themselves in the position of outlining the legal options available to women who have been assaulted by their partners.