A Victorian advocacy group that supports women, trans and gender diverse people to get out and stay out of prison has received the Australian Lawyers Alliance's (ALA) 2024 Victorian Civil Justice Award.
The annual ALA Civil Justice Award recognises individuals or organisations who have displayed an outstanding commitment to the pursuit of justice.
"It is timely that, when the community is rightly focused on violence against women, we are giving this award to Flat Out – an organisation that has at its core the right of women and gender diverse people to live free from violence," said ALA State President, Lachlan Fitch.
"Flat Out is an incredible organisation filling a significant gap in the system and providing unique legal and social work support to some of the most targeted sectors of our community. We are very pleased to be able to recognise this important work with this award."
Flat Out leads and participates in survivor-led research and education to the broader community about women's rights to live free from trauma, injustice and violence, and the issues that occur for women and trans and gender diverse people within the criminal legal system.
Flat Out also undertakes significant work in family violence and child protection matters including assisting family violence survivors.
"The policy work undertaken by Flat Out in relation to family violence issues and, particularly the interaction with the police and trying to improve this system is second to none," said Lachlan. "The Flat Out family violence project responds to police accountability issues and works hard to prevent the criminalisation of victim-survivors."
"The organisation provides practical support to people who need it, and its policy work learns from the lived experience of the people they help. The work they do makes a difference to women, trans and gender diverse people who are otherwise locked in cycles of incarceration, criminalisation, family separation and homelessness."
Previous winners of the Victorian Civil Justice Award include a mix of individuals and organisations such as Victoria Legal Aid, Apryl Day, Lex Lasry AM, Julian McMahon AC SC, The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and The Law and Advocacy Centre for Women.
Flat Out was announced as the recipient of this award today at the ALA Victoria Conference in Lorne.
