About TLAC

TLAC was established in 1996 and it's mission statement was to use the law as a tool for social change for women who were survivors of gender based violence.  Since then, it has maintained a focus on the law and the legal system and has challenged the ways in which they fail to respond to the  needs of women who have survived gender based violence and how they often contribute to the secondary victimization of women. Initially TLAC confined its work to education and training and legal advocacy but in 2005, we decided that the time was ripe to re-evaluate both the context in which we work and what work we do. 

Consequently a legal services unit was established and two paralegals and an attorney were employed to provide legal services to women in connection with gender based violence.  A research and policy unit was also established in 2005, under the guidance of a senior researcher.

In 2007, TLAC again extended its focus and has opened an office in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga. This office provides legal services to abused women and survivors of rape and sexual assault, and will also explore the intersections between gender based violence and women’s health and their access to appropriate health care. TLAC’s office will introduce a strengthened referral system between the health sector and the criminal justice system and will introduce a component that provides psycho-social counselling. The office will also undertake formative research that will try and understand what health and legal services women currently use, which they value and why and what gaps and opportunities exist for strengthening a multi-sectoral response to gender based violence.

TLAC staff at their annual strategic planning at The Cottages, 2 April 2007.