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 and live a life free of violence.

We are committed to providing quality free legal advice and assistance 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 stays safe.

What does the Law say about Domestic Violence?

Domestic or family violence is any physical, sexual, mental or other abuse or harm that occurs within a domestic or family setting. 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 the police;

·         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 named in the order.

At our Centre, we offer the following support:

·
Listening to you;

·
Advising you as to your options
for obtaining a protection order;

·
Representing you in court;

·
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.