The National Centre for Domestic Violence: Free Legal Support for All

Founded in 2002 by qualified barrister Dr. Steve Connor OBE, the National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) is committed to providing a fast and free emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence in the UK. Regardless of financial status, race, gender, or sexual orientation, anyone can apply for an injunction within 24 hours of first contact and obtain legal protection from their local county court. NCDV's other services include emergency prohibitive steps orders, emergency non-molestation and occupation orders, and in-house process serving and tracking. The organization also works closely with the police, local firms of solicitors, and domestic abuse agencies.

The story of NCDV began in 2001 when a friend who was being abused by her partner approached Dr. Connor for help. A student at the City Law School at the time, he accompanied her to the police. As his friend did not want to press charges, the police suggested going to a solicitor to take out a civil injunction. Dr. Connor and his friend ended up seeing about a dozen solicitors, all of whom were very eager to help. But there was one problem: she did not qualify for public funding on paper.

Frustrated with the fact that there was no help available to individuals who were unqualified for public funding but could not afford to pay, Dr. Connor decided to take matters into his own hands and established NCDV (originally known as the London Centre for Domestic Violence) in 2002 in Lambeth, South London. Since then, NCDV has helped tens of thousands of survivors of domestic violence obtain legal support promptly and for free. Before NCDV, people who were “not eligible” were left unprotected, and acquiring a non-molestation order was a very slow process. The organization also trains law students to act as McKenzie friends in court and offers specialist training courses to the police and government agencies nationwide.