Independent legal advice for adult survivors of sexual assault

The Independent Legal Advice (ILA) program was launched in 2017 to improve access to justice for adult survivors of sexual assault. The program provides up to 4 hours of free confidential legal advice to adult survivors of sexual assault. Participants can access advice at any point (pre-reporting, post-reporting, during trial, after trial etc.) and there is no time restriction.

To be eligible, participants must be 16 years or older at the time they access the program, and the sexual assault must have occurred in Nova Scotia. The program respects survivor’s privacy by facilitating the intake process through 211 Nova Scotia, an entirely independent organization. To register, participants can call, text or email 2-1-1 and they will then be given a list of eligible lawyers they can contact. Our lawyers have a variety of backgrounds ranging from immigration, human rights, Indigenous, civil, and criminal law.

For more information please visit the Program's website or watch this video.