helping women through the law

Legal information

Rights of Women have produced a number of information sheets on legal issues affecting women. You can download them here, free of charge.

The information contained on this page is not legal advice. If you have a legal problem, you should talk to a lawyer or advisor before deciding what to do. The information given here is written for people resident in or affected by the laws of England and Wales.

Have you used our legal advice and information services or signposted other women to them? Please help us fundraise to maintain and develop them by completing our short surveys:

These information sheets are in PDF format. If you are visually impaired, and require any of them in Word format, please let us know by emailing info@row.org.uk and we will send them to you.

Legal Aid:

Guidance on changes to family law legal aid for individual women

Guidance on changes to family law legal aid for women’s organisations and refuges

Rights of Women, Women's Aid and Welsh Women's Aid are very concerned that these changes will mean that many women affected by violence will not be able to access legal advice and representation to resolve family law matters. In order to monitor the impact of the changes we have developed a survey for women to complete. Please complete the survey here. We will be feeding back this information to the Ministry of Justice.

Legal handbooks:

From Report to Court: A handbook for adult survivors of sexual violence

Your body, your rights, your life. Sexual violence and the law: a young person's guide

Seeking Refuge? A handbook for asylum seeking women (2^nd edition)
Order a hard copy here

Since publication of our handbook, Seeking Refuge? A handbook for asylum seeking women (2nd edition), there have been important changes to the law. Please also read the following:
Important changes to the Immigration rules on family migration

From Rights to Action: Using International rights and mechanisms on violence against women in the UK

Living together:

Living together and the law

Marriage and divorce:

A guide to marriage

A guide to divorce - Updated!

Financial Arrangements After Marriage Breakdown

Children and relationship breakdown:

A guide to parental responsibility

A guide to child contact - Updated!

A guide to residence orders

A guide to child support

When parents separate

Domestic and sexual violence:

A guide to domestic violence injunctions - Updated!

Domestic violence, housing and homelessness

Rape and assault by penetration: information for survivors of sexual violence - Updated!

Understanding sexual assault and causing someone to engage in sexual activity

Reporting an offence to the police: a guide to criminal investigations - Updated!

From charge to trial: a guide to criminal proceedings - Updated!

A guide to criminal injuries compensation - Updated!

Trafficking:

Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation and the Law

Since publication of our legal guide, Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation and the Law, there have been important changes to the law. Please also read the following:
Important updates to trafficking, sexual exploitation and the law – July 2012

Immigration and asylum law:

Domestic violence, immigration law and "no recourse to public funds"

Since publication of our legal guide, Domestic violence, immigration law and "no recourse to public funds", there have been important changes to the law. Please also read the following:
Important updates to domestic violence, immigration law and ‘no recourse to public funds’ – July 2012