San Vicente service supports women's legal rights

SAN VICENTE Town Hall has a specialist service that assisted 98 women with legal advice last year.

The free guidance helps women to avoid situations – particularly when separating or divorcing – where they could sign away or fail to claim rights because they did not consult a lawyer.

Last year the town hall’s Women’s Legal Advice service helped to solve problems that included custody issues, domestic abuse, non-payment of maintenance and threatened eviction.

The service, part of the Welfare department, assisted a total of 98 San Vicente women last year, revealed a report by Welfare councillor Maria Angeles Genoves. 

“Their ages, backgrounds and employment situation were all different,” she said although 70 per cent were jobless and had only basic studies.

The most common worry was non-payment of child maintenance, rights and obligations regarding the family home and how to go about seeking separation or divorce, Genoves said.

The free service is part of the town hall’s Welfare department network, created to help more vulnerable citizens.