Malo e lelei Senitā Tokoni Fakalao ki hono Malu’i ‘o e Fāmili.
Welcome to the Family Protection Legal Aid Centre.
We believe that everyone in Tonga has the right to feel safe within their families, their communities and to live a life free of violence.
We are committed to providing quality free legal advice and legal representation in court to anyone facing violence within their families, without judgment and regardless of their personal circumstances.
We value professionalism, privacy and confidentiality. This means that we are committed to ensuring that any information that you share remains in the Centre and will only be shared with your consent.
What does the Law say about Domestic Violence?
Domestic or family violence is violence that occurs within a domestic or family setting. Generally, violence can be:
Physical – beating someone, pushing, kicking, punching;
Sexual – sexual harassment, rape, sexual assault;
Mental/ psychological – making threats, shouting, bullying, ignoring someone; and
Economic – withholding money, damaging personal property.
The Family Protection Act 2013 is part of Tongan law and it says that domestic violence is a crime. Under this law, if you or someone close to you is experiencing domestic violence, you can seek protection by:
- Reporting the abuse to Police (922) or to the Domestic Violence Unit (74-01647); and
- Applying for a Protection Order against the domestic violence or economic abuse from the Courts.
A Protection Order is a legal document from the Court that tells the person who committed the violence that they cannot contact or harm the person or persons named in the order.
At our Centre, we offer the following support:
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Listening to you;
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Advising you as to your options for obtaining a protection order; or any other Family related Law matters;
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Representing you in Court;
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Referring you to other services if you want specific assistance (health, safe house, Police, etc.).
If you would like to know more about the options that are available under the Family Protection Act for yourself, or for someone who is being subjected to domestic violence, you can visit us at the Centre, phone us or email us.
Our opening hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.
We are also available after office hours over the phone (0800-555).