Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigations Team (SOCIT)

Inner East (Box Hill): 8892 3292
Outer East (Knox): 8335 6701

Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCITs) are made up of specialist detectives who are trained to investigate the complex crimes of sexual offences and child abuse.

For more information see https://www.police.vic.gov.au/sexual-offences

Victoria Police LGBTI Liaison Officers

The GLLOs provide a contact point for LGBTI community members and provide advice, assistance and recommendations to Victoria Police on the policing needs of LGBTI people.

For more information see https://www.police.vic.gov.au/lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-and-intersex-liaison-officers

Community Corrections

Box Hill 

Phone: 1300 101 423

Ringwood

Phone: 1300 191 860

Lilydale 

Phone: 1300 389 516

Offenders in local communities are supported by Community Corrections Officers to ensure they meet the conditions of their court or parole orders, including connecting them with community work options.

For more information see https://www.corrections.vic.gov.au/community-corrections

Ringwood Magistrates’ Court

Phone: 9087 5720
Location: Ringwood

The following are available at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court:

Criminal matters

• The criminal jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court hears and determines all summary offences, some indictable offences and conducts committal hearings.

Civil matters

• The Magistrates’ Court can hear civil disputes up to the value of $100,000 arising from debts, claims for damages, other monetary disputes or equitable relief.

Intervention orders

• There a two types of intervention orders that can be ordered in the Magistrates’ Court. They are personal safety and family violence intervention orders.

Bail support

• Support is available for eligible accused persons on bail through the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP).

Court coordinator and Intervention Order Registry: ringwoodcoordinator@courts.vic.gov.au

For more information see https://www.mcv.vic.gov.au/court/ringwood-magistrates-court

Court Integrated Services Program (CISP)

A program for adult defendants, services include:

• Assessment, case management and referral for problems relating to drug & alcohol abuse, mental health, disability and homelessness.
  Assistance is also provided specifically for Koori defendants.

For more information see https://www.mcv.vic.gov.au/find-support/bail-support-cisp

Court Network

Location: Ringwood

Services include:

• Providing support and information about going to court
• Attending court with a court user during their appearance
• Explaining how the courts and legal systems operate
• Showing a court user around court beforehand, so they can become familiar with where they have to go on the day of their court case
• Providing a safe place at court for the court user
• Referring to other community services

For more information see https://courtnetwork.com.au/

Victoria Legal Aid

Phone: 1300 792 387

Location: Ringwood

Services include:

• Free legal information, advice and legal aid in the areas of criminal, limited civil and family violence intervention order matters.
• Duty lawyers at court
• Community education

For more information see https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/

Eastern Community Legal Centre

Phone:1300 32 52 00

Eastern Community Legal Centre provides free legal advice and assistance for a range of matters, including:

• Family law
• Family Violence and Intervention Orders
• Criminal law
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Debt and civil matters.
• ECLC also delivers community legal education, professional development, partnership and projects and policy and law reform advocacy.

For more information see https://www.eclc.org.au/

Djirra (formerly Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Services)

Phone: 1800 105 303

Location: Abbotsford

Djirra is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation. They provide a range of legal services, including advice and advocacy in relation to:

• Intervention Orders issued in relation to family violence
• Family Law
• Child Protection
• VOCAT assistance
• Legal issues connected to a family violence situation such as: complaints about police; assistance with Centrelink or the Child Support Agency; and problems with the Office of Housing about house damage.

Paralegal support Workers can assist with:

• Information about family violence
• Information about legal and other options available following an incident of family violence
• Information about court processes
• Court support for attending court hearings
• Support when reporting crimes to the police.

Djirra provides legal services to Aboriginal women, men and children who are victims/survivors of family violence or sexual assault or who are at immediate risk of family violence or sexual assault. Djirra also assists non-Aboriginal parents of Aboriginal children who are victims/survivors of family violence or sexual assault.

Djirra can also arrange:

• counselling session;
• Aboriginal workers to accompany Aboriginal women to appointments;
• safety planning discussion and follow up support.
• Djirra provides both telephone and face to face legal advice.

For more information see https://djirra.org.au/

Women’s Legal Service Victoria

Phone: 1800 133 302

The service assists women experiencing disadvantage who are facing legal issues arising out of violence or relationship breakdown.

Services include:

• assistance with Intervention orders
• Children and family law
• Division of property after separation
• Victims of crime applications
• Child Protection

Services are provided this through:

• Free legal advice by phone on the Legal Advice Line: Tues and Thurs 5.30pm – 8.00pm
• Free advice and representation at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court through the Legal Advice and Representation Clinic: Mon-Fri 9.30am to 1.00pm
• Legal representation to women facing significant barriers to accessing justice where assistance will have the greatest impact.
• A Worker Advice Line provides preliminary family violence and family law assistance to family violence workers, financial counsellors, and other support workers working with women who have experienced family violence: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

For more information see https://www.womenslegal.org.au/

Disability Discrimination Legal Service

Phone: 9654 8644

State-wide independent community legal centre that specialises in disability discrimination legal matters.

Services include:

• Information, referral and advice
• Casework assistance
• Community legal education
• Policy and law reform

For more information see http://www.ddls.org.au/

Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)

Phone: 1300 018 228

VCAT is a tribunal that hears and decides civil and administrative legal cases in the State of Victoria.

For more information see https://www.vcat.vic.gov.au/

Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT)

Phone: 1800 882 752

Services include:

• Financial assistance for victims of crime

For more information see https://www.vocat.vic.gov.au/

Victims of Crime Helpline

Phone: 1800 819 817

Services include:

• Information about your rights
• Advice about reporting a crime
• Information about the legal process, including after the offender is in jail
• Help applying for compensation and financial assistance
• Connections to other support services, such as the Victims Assistance Program.

For more information see https://www.victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2017/07/b4/9c4822fd9/victims-of-crime-helpline-faq-web.pdf

Victims Support Agency

Phone: 1800 819 817

Services include:

• Access to telephone counselling
• Referrals to appropriate support services
• Information about legal service
• Financial assistance for victims of crime in Victoria

VSA represents people affected by crime, coordinating a whole-of-government approach to services for victims. The agency operates the Victims of Crime Helpline, and funds state-wide services to provide victims with practical assistance, counselling and support through the justice system.

For more information see https://www.victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au/victims-support-agency

Eastern Victims Assistance Program (EVAP)

Phone: 1300 946 337.

The Victims Assistance Program (VAP) is a program that provides confidential information, advice and support for the needs that arise as a direct consequence of a violent crime. This can include family violence, sexual assault, physical assault and homicide.

https://www.windermere.org.au/services/victims-assistance-program