The Family Law and Victim Rights Unit at Pine Tree Legal Assistance provides statewide coverage for the civil legal needs of victim/survivors of sexual assault. In many areas of the state, the Family Law and Victim Rights Unit also provides civil legal services to victim/survivors of domestic violence.

The Court has recently updated many family law forms! We are in the process of updating our forms, to match. In the meantime, please check with the Maine Court's website for the most up-to-date forms.

What is consent? Consent is when you give permission for something to happen. Consent is an important part of sex. A person’s consent to a sexual activity should be:

Sexual assault affects many members of the LGBTQ+ community. Many Maine organizations work to serve the needs of LGBTQ+ survivors.

How do I know if my child’s sexual behavior is normal or a sign of abuse?  As a caregiver, you may be worried about a child if they start displaying sexualized behaviors. Your instinct may be to think something has happened to the child, but that is not always the case. Some child sexualized behavior is healthy.

If you (or your child) have been sexually assaulted at school, there are laws that can help protect you. One of the most important laws is called Title IX (Title Nine). Title IX says that schools that get federal funding cannot discriminate based on sex. This includes almost all elementary schools, high schools, and colleges. Title IX says that… More

Yes! Usually to get a Protection from Abuse (PFA) Order, the abuser and survivor need to be family or household members or dating partners. Pine Tree Legal Assistance helps survivors of sexual assault get PFA orders across the state of Maine. Contact your local sexual assault advocacy center to connect to our services!

Many Protection from Abuse cases are handled without a lawyer. If you believe that the other side will have a lawyer, or if there are complicated issues involved in your case, you may be better off with a lawyer. Need to start at the beginning of the process? Read the first part of our guide: Protection from Abuse in Maine: First Steps &… More

How does domestic violence affect children? Violence and trauma can have long-lasting effects on children who witness or experience violent events.

Listen to our podcast on harassment in rental housing! This podcast is about sexual harassment in rental housing and what to do if you believe that you have been harassed by your landlord, an employee of your landlord or another tenant.