ABOUT THIS EPISODE: Support workers are a key part of BC’s family law system, but they are underpaid, overworked, and undertrained for the legal demands they are facing. From victim services to outreach and housing, they are filling critical gaps left by inaccessible legal services. In this episode, we talk about funding problems, legal challenges, and why long-term support and training are so important.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC.

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, we talk about the real-life struggles people face when trying to deal with family court in BC’s rural and remote (RRN) communities.

We share what we found during our 2022 research, where we visited 40 communities and spoke with support workers and lawyers. People in these areas often face serious barriers like having to travel long distances to get to court, dealing with delays between court dates, and struggling to find a lawyer. These challenges make it even harder for survivors of abuse to get the support and safety they need.

Learn more in our report: Building Inclusive and Accessible Family Justice: Practical Approaches to Innovate Family Law Systems in BC’s Rural and Remote Communities

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This episode is the final episode of a five part series that was recorded in 2024. Stephanie and Vicky continue their conversation with Stephanie Hodgson and Melissa Klages. The five part series discusses the problems when family law overlaps with immigration, criminal and child protection law (or family policing).

This last episode in the series ties up everything up and discusses the strategies on how to create a good support system for clients.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This episode is part four of a five part series that was recorded in 2024. Stephanie and Vicky continue their conversation with Stephanie Hodgson, and Melissa Klages. The five part series discusses the problems when family law overlaps with immigration, criminal and child protection law (or family policing).

Lawyers are not in a position to take on legal matters where they are not qualified so if there are multiple matters, there will be a different lawyer for each area of law (when a client can afford it!). This episode discusses some practical approaches lawyers can take to help when there is more than one legal issue at a time.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This episode is part three of a five part series that was recorded in 2024. Stephanie and Vicky continue their conversation with Stephanie Hodgson, and Melissa Klages. The five part series discusses the problems when family law overlaps with immigration, criminal and child protection law (or family policing). This episode discusses how different areas of law can intersect with family law.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This episode is part two of a five part series that was recorded in 2024. Stephanie and Vicky had invited two lawyers, one who has been part of this podcast earlier - Stephanie Hodgson, and Melissa Klages, managing lawyer at Arrow law in what is colonially known Revelstoke.

The five part series discusses the problems when family law overlaps with immigration, criminal and child protection law (or family policing). This episode discusses the complications when different areas of law become interconnected.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC.

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This episode is part one of a five part series that was recorded in 2024. Stephanie and Vicky had invited two lawyers, one who has been part of this podcast earlier - Stephanie Hodgson, and Melissa Klages, managing lawyer at Arrow law in what is colonially known Revelstoke.

The five part series discusses the problems when family law overlaps with immigration, criminal and child protection law (or family policing). This episode focuses on how the overlap of different areas of law can be used as a manipulation to cause harm to survivors. Note: Stephanie Hodgson refers to family legal clinics in the episode and mentions that they are yet to open. Since recording this episode, the legal clinics have opened up.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, the hosts Stephanie and Vicky are joined by Natalie Longe, Supervising Lawyer for the Virtual Legal Clinic at Rise. Natalie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this episode. In this episode, Natalie speaks about the evolution of family law. Natalie's practice has always been in family law, since she got to the BC Bar in 1998. Natalie also spent 2 years working as a family law advocate at a local transition house and us also bringing that valuable perspective into this conversation.

This episode talks about the evolution of the what we know today as the Family Law Act from the Family Relations Act of 1972 and the integration of the language of family violence in the act.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Everything that we have said today is not legal advice. If you or someone you know needs legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

TRIGGER WARNING: Our podcast series will discuss difficult topics such as gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse. Please be aware that this is a thread that is woven throughout all the episodes, and we hope you will take care of yourselves however you need.

MUSIC: Song "Crushing", performed by Reveille (license purchased for use)

GRAPHICS: By Melanie Ligale

This episode is made possible the generous contribution by Women and Gender Equality Canada, Femmes et Égalité des genres Canada

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Our programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC

For more information on our organization, visit Rise Women's Legal Centre