When Legal Aid Does Not Reach Them: Access to Justice for Women Victims of Domestic Violence in East Lombok Regency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/gtvptc35Keywords:
domestic violence, women, access to justice, legal aid, victim protectionAbstract
Women experiencing domestic violence face legal challenges extending beyond the prosecution of perpetrators to include access to information, legal assistance, protection, and recovery services. At the local level, economic dependence, family relationships, social stigma, and limited institutional services may significantly influence victims’ decisions to report violence. This study aims to examine barriers to justice faced by women victims of domestic violence in East Lombok Regency and to evaluate the responses of legal institutions and available support services. A socio-legal approach is adopted by combining legal analysis with empirical research involving victims or their advocates, law-enforcement officials, legal-aid organizations, and relevant service providers. The study argues that the existence of protective legislation does not automatically guarantee substantive access to justice. Geographic distance, financial costs, economic dependency, stigma, and limited legal literacy may create multiple and overlapping barriers. Effective protection requires stronger inter-institutional coordination, accessible legal-aid services, victim-centered procedures, and recovery mechanisms that account for victims’ social and economic circumstances. The study highlights the importance of narrowing the gap between formally guaranteed rights and victims’ lived experiences. It further suggests that local justice policies should move beyond a purely punitive approach toward an integrated framework combining protection, legal empowerment, and sustainable recovery.
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