Pending closure of the legal service office in Prince George will only make matters worse for low-income women going through child custody battles, a group of researchers at UNBC said Friday in releasing their findings on the issue.
In-depth interviews with 10 women and a man revealed "heartbreaking" stories, said project coordinator Sarah Boyd-Noel.
"They spoke of incredible difficulties to get help, often with very little money, not being eligible for legal aid and not being able to get a lawyer," she said. "Some women represented themselves in court and even if they got legal aid, it was often patchy and inadequate."
Women typically make only 70 per cent of what men earn in salary but many of those interviewed still made too much money to qualify for legal aid. Drastic actions like remortgaging houses and spending student loans on legal costs were taken as a result.
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