Get 2 hours of free legal advice if you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence.
Apply Now →You are NOT alone - Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of family violence in Canada, according to a 2022 Statistics Canada report. The Listen Project offers survivors of domestic or sexual violence in Saskatchewan access to free legal advice. Whether the incident was recent or occurred in the past, and regardless of whether it was reported to police, survivors can receive up to 2 hours of free legal consultation. This service is available to individuals of all ages and genders, without income restrictions, ensuring accessible support for all.
Family and domestic violence are abusive behaviors in which one individual gains power over another individual. Intimate partner violence typically includes sexual or physical violence, psychological aggression, and stalking. This may include former or current intimate partners.
If you are uncertain whether you have experienced sexual violence you can still receive a referral for free legal advice. A lawyer can help you understand how your situation fits into the justice system and help you make an informed decision about your options and next steps.
Indigenous women and gender-diverse individuals in Canada continue to experience a disproportionately high risk for violence. This includes an ongoing threat of going missing or being murdered, an issue highlighted in the 2019 report of the MMIWG2S Inquiry that presented 231 Calls for Justice. This report framed the violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people as part of a larger system of human rights violations and colonial violence.
The Listen Project is committed to addressing the root causes of these risks by working toward substantive equality and supporting Indigenous women and gender diverse people to access a service that upholds their rights and seeks to ensure they feel supported throughout the process. Through the Listen Project, the Elizabeth Fry Society aims to respond directly to the Calls for Justice by reducing barriers and encouraging Indigenous women to seek and access the legal support they need. By offering free legal consultation to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, we are responding to the following Calls to Justice:
Furthermore, EFSK supports the implementation of culturally appropriate, trauma-informed practices, as outlined in Call to Justice 9.2, by fostering respectful, bias-free relationships between Indigenous women and legal institutions. Our work also focuses on strengthening partnerships to ensure that Indigenous women receive the advocacy and harm reduction support they deserve in the safest possible way, advancing the vision laid out in Calls for Justice 9.7.
By integrating these Calls for Justice into the Listen Project, EFSK hopes to play a vital role in reducing systemic barriers and advancing the rights of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in Saskatchewan.
The law requires any person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child may be in need of protection as a result of abuse to report the information to a child protection worker or the police. Children can include anyone who is or who apparently is under 18. For more information see the Provincial Child Abuse Protocol.
Complete the intake process online, or via toll-free phone.
You will receive a response that includes a referral number, the name of a lawyer and contact information for that lawyer.
You can then contact the lawyer's office to arrange for an appointment and provide the lawyer with your referral number.
Program hours are 10 a.m. - noon and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Consultations with the lawyer can be by phone, email, in-person or through video-conferencing (Skype etc.) depending on your needs and what the lawyer can offer.
Before you share what happened to you, the lawyer will explain the confidential nature of the communications and ensure that you understand the nature of the legal services to be provided.
If the initial 2 hour consultation is not enough, you can request an additional 2 hours of free legal information and advice using the same process.
The lawyer will only provide legal information or advice. They cannot represent you in legal proceedings. All lawyers providing legal advice under this program have participated in training in order to provide services under the program.
The legal advice requested could cover topics like understanding whether sexual violence has occurred, what is involved in reporting the matter to the police, going through the criminal court process, deciding whether to start a civil lawsuit, making a human rights complaint or dealing with workplace sexual harassment.
The Listen Project provides more than just legal assistance; it offers a holistic approach to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Through wrap-around supports, individuals accessing the Listen Project can receive help with navigating complex legal systems alongside additional services like culturally appropriate referrals to trauma-informed counseling, community resources, and safety planning. Our aim is to ensure that each person receives the emotional, practical, and legal support they need to move forward in their healing journey. By addressing the broader needs of survivors, we help foster a sense of safety, empowerment, and long-term resilience.
Independent legal advice can help you understand how the legal system defines what you have experienced and can help you understand the different legal options available to you and help you decide what you want to do.
No. You can talk to a lawyer even if you have not made your decision about reporting the incident to police. You may also benefit from other supports and services.
In the criminal justice there is no time limit for coming forward. For civil actions, the limitation period was recently changed and you can now come forward at any time.
