Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) Service

Our Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) service offers practical help, advice & information for victims of rape and sexual abuse and their families.

Who is the ISVA service for?

The ISVA service helps anyone who has been the victim of unwanted sexual contact. If you have been raped or sexually abused at any time in your life, our ISVA service can offer you practical support to deal with your circumstances. Our aim is to help give you the confidence, support and information you need to take control of your situation and move forward.

Our service is available to men, women, children and families, regardless of whether you have told the police or anyone else about the attack.

What does the ISVA do?

Your individual worker (ISVA) will listen to you and find out what your needs are. He or she will then help you to access support from other agencies, such as:

• Health services
• Housing/Homelessness
• Benefits
• Counselling

The ISVA Service Agreement can be found here

The ISVA will also give you information to help you decide whether you want to report the incident(s) to the Police. You do not have to report the attack. If you decide not to report the matter, we will still provide you with support.

If you do decide to report the matter your worker will help you through the whole process, including working with the Police and the rest of the criminal justice system. Examples of the type of support your ISVA will provide include:

• Liaising with the police, courts, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and other public agencies
• Keeping you informed of developments in your case
• Advocating on your behalf
• Supporting you before and during any court case

Making a referral:

If you would like to refer yourself or someone into the ISVA service, please complete the secure form (link below) and the details will be passed securely to an ISVA who will make contact within 48 hours:

Advocacy support for children

BSARCS also has a specialist ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advocate) service for children, aged from 0 up to 17.

If you’re the parent or carer of a child who you think might benefit from this service, you can call us on 01226 320140 to talk about referring them or use the referral form below.

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