English
Arabic
Bengali
French
Italian
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Polish
Punjabi
Romanian
Somali
Tamil
UrduCRASAC provides specialist crisis and advocacy service through our team of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs).
ISVAs are an accredited service recognised by the Home Office established to improve the experiences of victims of sexual violence within the criminal justice system.
Our ISVAs offer independent, non-judgmental emotional and practical support and advocacy to anyone aged 11 and over (including parents and carers) who has experienced historical or recent sexual abuse, sexual assault, or rape. We also support parents and carers through the criminal justice system for children under the age of 11.
Your ISVA will explain the process of reporting to the police and what to expect from the criminal justice system, to allow you to make an informed decision about whether it is the best step for you. You can also click here to view some Easy Read guides produced by the CPS for victims of crime.
If you choose to report, your ISVA will help you to understand and receive your legal rights and provide independent support throughout any criminal investigations and court proceedings.
How can I give my evidence at court?
If you are a victim or a witness in a case and it goes to trial you will usually be asked to give evidence. This involves describing what happened, in your own words, and answering questions about it from the prosecution barrister and from the defence barrister. This can feel daunting, but there are things we can ask for to help you feel more comfortable when you give your evidence – these are called ‘special measures’.
They can be put in place for how you give your evidence at trial, or sometimes they can mean that you give all of your evidence before the trial happens. The office in charge of your case can apply for these measures for you and the judge will make a decision about whether to grant them. Special measures are there to support you if you need them, but you don’t have to have them if you don’t want to.
Please click below to find out more about the different types of special measures you can apply for.
Which special measure? A guide for adults giving evidence in cases of rape or sexual assault
Please let us know if English is not your first language and we can organise an interpreter.
Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales
The Victim’s Code outlines your rights. It’s a statutory code that sets out the minimum level of service that victims should receive from the criminal justice system. An adapted EasyRead version of the Victim’s Code is also available.
Whether or not you choose to report, your ISVA can also provide you with advocacy support, for example with face to face meetings and telephone calls, and introducing you to other services and agencies that may be beneficial to you.
An ISVA can help ensure that your individual views, opinions, wishes and needs are listened to and respected by the agencies you are involved with.
ISVAs are understanding, respectful and non-judgmental towards whichever choice you make.
They are independent, professional experts who specialise in issues around sexual violence and are completely on the side of victims and survivors.
It is the ISVA’s role to empower and enable each individual they support.
If you feel this service would help you through any sexual assault or rape you have experienced, please contact us today.
“My experience with my ISVA prior to counselling gave me a much needed outlet to talk about my experiences freely and without judgement. She helped me to manage the impact of flashbacks and panic attacks following the trauma and gave me strategies I still use day-to-day. ”
