Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC,
Edited by Nancy Carson • Illustrations by Danette Byatt
Dealing with separation – Part 5/6
Sally left an abusive relationship.
Her husband hit her.
She took her children
and went to stay with a friend.
Sally wants to be sure
that she will be safe.
She needs help,
so she goes to the Legal Aid BC office.
Legal Aid BC gives
Sally a free lawyer.
The lawyer’s name is Mary.
Protection order
Mary is helping Sally
get a protection order.
This order means that her husband
can be arrested
if he tries to see her.
Hearing about the protection order
makes Sally feel safer.
While they work on the order,
Mary learns that Sally is still worried.
What will happen now?
Sally needs money to take care of their children.
She needs her children to stay with her.
Interim order
Mary explains that Sally can get an interim order.
Sally and her husband
cannot agree about the future.
An interim order means
that a judge will decide for them.
An interim order only lasts
until Sally and her husband can agree.
Sally can also get an interim order for child support.
The order may say that her husband
must give her money
to help support their children.
He might have to pay child support
until the children become 19 years old.
He might also have to pay children support
even if they get a divorce.
Mary says that getting an interim order
can be difficult but she offers to help Sally.
They start working on the order together.
Find out what happens
to Sally next month in part 6.
Learn how to apply for legal aid.
For more information about family violence, visit the Legal Aid BC website: legalaid.bc.ca/publications.