Frequently Asked Questions
Can my partner have me deported if I leave?
Many abusers threaten to have their partners deported if they leave.
Do not stay with a violent partner because you are afraid of being deported.
If you are a landed immigrant, you cannot be deported for leaving your partner.
Even if your partner stops sponsoring you, it is up to the Immigration Department to decide your case.
In many cases, Immigration makes it easier for assaulted women to stay in
Get legal help to make your case to the Immigration Department.
Do I need a lawyer?
It is important that you are aware of your rights.
A lawyer or community legal worker can give you legal advice.
There are many ways that the law can help you.
A lawyer or a community legal worker can help you understand the law.
You do not need a lawyer to lay charges or to get a Peace Bond against your partner.
You can go to a Justice of the Peace yourself.
You will need a lawyer or legal worker to help you if your case involves Family Law matters such as separation, divorce, custody of children and child support.
Here is a list of things you can ask your lawyer or community legal worker about:
- can I get a peace bond or restraining order?
- how can these be enforced?
- can I get exclusive possession of my home?
- can I make my partner leave?
- when am I considered legally separated under Canadian Law?
- how can I get a divorce?
- how can I get support for myself and my children?
- how do I get custody of my children?
- how is the property I have with my partner divided?
- how are court order (like child support orders) enforced?
Remember, you have rights under the law.
Do not be afraid to use the law to protect you and your interests.
How do I find a lawyer?
Ask friends, relatives or co-workers if they know a lawyer.
Ask a counsellor, social worker or shelter worker for names of lawyers who have worked on cases like yours before.
Community Legal Clinics can offer free legal advice.
To find the one nearest you, look under Legal Aid in the white pages at the back of your phone book.
Call the Lawyer Referral Service at 416-947-3330.
Please click here to access the Legal Aid Ontario website.
Please click here to access the Parkdale Legal Services website.
Tell the person answering the phones what your problem is and you get half hour free time with a lawyer they send you to.
It is important that you feel comfortable with your lawyer.
Remember, your lawyer will be speaking for you.
Be sure that she or he understands your case.
If you cannot afford a lawyer, you can apply for a Legal Aid Certificate. If you qualify, Legal Aid may pay all or part of your legal fees.
The telephone number for Legal Aid in
If I leave my partner, how will I support myself?
If you have no money or if you do not make enough money to live on, you can apply for social assistance.
This is called Welfare or Family Benefits.
Contact the Metro Toronto Community Service (Welfare) office that is closest to you.
To find the one nearest to you, look under Metro Community Services in the blue pages of the phone book.
Tell them why you are applying for assistance.
Show them your identification and your children’s.
You should show them things like your social insurance card, driver’s licence, passports, birth certificates for you and your children and landed papers.
You need to give them proof of all your income.
Show them things like cheque stubs from work, Employment Insurance,
Do not feel embarrassed because you need social assistance.
Think of it as a way to help you get on your feel.
If you have children with your partner, you must apply through the courts for child support.
Remember that you have done nothing wrong.
It is your abusive partner who did something wrong.
Where will I live?
If you are getting social assistance, you may qualify for affordable housing.
The Metro Toronto Housing Authority gives priority to women who have been assaulted.
You must fill out an application.
You will be put on a waiting list.
You may also apply to co-ops.
These are apartments where tenants help run the building.
Often, the rent is based on your income.
You can also find out about houses, apartments and flats from friends, relatives, co-workers, newspapers, bulletin boards and other places in your community.
