First of all, what activities does the Arcigay Legal Help Desk carry out?
The main activity of the Help Desk is to offer free legal advice to all those who contact it, to study the legal issues submitted to us and to propose the most appropriate solutions.
The consultancy is provided electronically to our address
[email protected]
(for simpler matters) or by telephone at the numbers
051.6493055 or 339.4042891
For those who are able to come to the Arcigay headquarters (Via Don Minzioni 18, Bologna), we also receive by appointment.
What are the most frequently discussed topics?
The Help Desk handles all areas of law (Civil, Criminal, Administrative, Immigration, etc.), but in general we can say that the Help Desk provides advice on any legal matter concerning LGBT people.
In these first six months, the work done to help many same-sex couples regulate their relationships through so-called cohabitation agreements has been crucial. These are legal instruments that protect joint assets and, where possible, relationships between partners and unrelated parties. We have tried to educate our users about the possibility of protecting a partner, even if only partially, through civil law instruments.
The work done to support couples who intend to embark on a same-sex parenting journey has also been crucial. I would also like to point out that the Help Desk has worked to protect the position of lesbian women in matters related to the custody of children from a previous marriage.
The Help Desk also provides assistance against discrimination and homophobia, and provides assistance to non-EU citizens who, for example, intend to apply for refugee status.
Can we therefore say that the service has been a huge success and that this success demonstrates the need for the LGBT community to equip itself with strong protection tools?
Absolutely. And I also feel compelled to say that a major effort to educate LGBT people about legal rights is needed to make them aware of their rights as individuals and legal entities. It's truly important that LGBT people report acts of homophobia and any discrimination they experience, and that they increasingly choose to pursue such acts, including through legal action.
So, to conclude, what would you like to say to those who read Pegaso and arcigay.it?
I invite anyone who needs to resolve legal doubts, questions, or disputes to contact the Legal Help Desk.
(Photo by Maurizio Cecconi)
