Women are not in a position to pay for court protection so most of them are living with continuous trepidation of being physically assaulted by their spouses.
Helen Hughes, head of the Scottish Family Law Association asserted that nearly a third and a half of women seeking a protection order are being offered only a partial contribution or nothing from the legal aid board towards the cost of the action.
Most of them have only two options at their disposal, first either pay huge cost for the protection or second, continue to bear the nuisance from the partner.
Ms Hughes says,
I see about ten new clients a week. These are women who are subject to ongoing harassment, abuse and violence from their former partners. It might be that their children are also at risk. But because the legal aid is means-tested, between a half and a quarter of those are required to make, usually significant, contributions towards the costs of protective court orders. Most of these will not be able to pay and end up living in fear. There are undoubtedly thousands of women every year across Scotland who are in this situation.
Thus, it is not viable to women with low-income groups to ask for legal protection.
It seems that law does not count the plight of poor women victims. Their own spouse has victimized them yet they cannot ask for legal protection just because they don’t have enough money... obnoxious!
