Claire Kerman is the ISVA Team Leader at St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester. She has been an ISVA for 3.5 years and completed her ISVA training with LimeCulture in March 2012.  Claire’s Team (pictured below) includes 4 ISVAs working with males and females over the age of 13 (one of the ISVAs specifically works with adolescents). Her team also works alongside a Child Advocate for under 13 year olds and a Young Persons Advocate for those involved in child sexual exploitation who are based at St Mary’s.

Claire has approximately 80 clients that she is actively in touch with regularly, although she points out it is difficult to say what her average case load is as it will depend on the outcome of a support needs assessment and also the stage at which the case is at.  For example, in cases where the court case is delayed or where there has been an adjournment, the client will need flexible support throughout their journey.  Claire explains that some clients have excellent support systems in place already and need minimal input, however the support they require is frequently reassessed and tailored to meet their needs. Claire explains that the ISVAs at St Mary’s do not close cases, as clients who felt they did not need to access support often come back further down the line, especially if they have a court case coming up. 

The ISVA service based at St Mary’s SARC runs in parallel with the SARC counselling service and enables them to be flexible about the support that is offered to clients. Claire explains that clients will often take up the ISVA support in the early stages of the case, then access counselling and return for more ISVA support at a later stage, while other clients will access the counselling and ISVA support simultaneously if there is a need.

What does your average workday consist of?

“On an average day I start work at 8am and look at my emails.  I catch up on some paperwork, making phone calls to clients or police officers.  At 9.15am every weekday morning we have a multidisciplinary team meeting consisting of a Crisis Worker, Counsellor, ISVA, Doctor, and member of the Admin Team, a member of the Child Team and often the Manager and Clinical Director.  In this meeting we review the cases that have been referred over the previous 24 hours or weekend. We can frequently review between 10 and 20 cases on a Monday morning. The meeting gives us the opportunity to ensure that all actions and treatments have been made and that any follow up management is addressed. Safeguarding decisions are often complex so we discuss safeguarding referrals and allocate further actions between the team.

We take a holistic approach to our client’s recovery and, as I work at a SARC, our client’s journey with us often begins with a medical examination.  With regards to physical health we can use the notes to tell us what follow up the client needs and remind them of any appointments they need to make on recontact.  We can refer clients to our counsellors for assessment or look at other agencies that may be appropriate or if the client is already involved with and liaise with them.  After this meeting, I generally have a MARF (multi agency referral form) to complete and a list of recontacts or other related jobs.  I also have planned face-to-face support session during the day and a list of around 10 or more telephone recontacts to do.

I spend lots of time liaising with police officers and making referrals to other services, such as social care or community alcohol teams.  I am also regularly in touch with the Witness Service teams at the 2 Crown Courts in Manchester making appointments for pre-court visits or arrangements to attend court with clients.  We have seen a marked increase in the number of court attendances we are making. My colleague Gail and I had 5 court cases booked in for one week in January!

We are a very busy Centre and during the working day have many phone calls from people wishing to gain information or access the Centre.  We also have a people dropping into the Centre from time to time, so despite having a plan for the day we never quite know how things are going to pan out.  As we are part of a Team, we have to be adaptable and in cases where we are short staffed I may do some Crisis Work during the day or help out with the Child Clinic’.

What is your favourite thing about your role?

‘My favourite thing about the ISVA role is seeing the difference in someone from when we started working together to when they are ready to finish working with me or my colleagues.  I suspect this is the same for most ISVAs, but to be a part of helping someone in their recovery is a real privilege.  Some clients require very little input and some need a much larger proportion of time but I think all are supported in the knowledge there is a specialist service to help them. When you have that connection with the client and see such a change in them, it really serves to reinforce your belief in the power of humans to overcome huge adversity.

I really enjoy working as part of a team and while we might all come from different backgrounds, academically or professionally, we are all striving to ‘get it right’ for the client.  I also think working in a multi-disciplinary team has really helped me to broaden my knowledge and thought process’.

What is the hardest/most challenging thing about your role?

‘I sometimes find it challenging to help a client get back on their feet after they have given evidence in court if they have had a particularly tough time in the witness box. I often share the client’s frustration at the way they have been spoken to or about the line of questioning but in order to remain professional I must push my feelings to one side to help the client with theirs.  I think it can be a real balancing act sometimes to acknowledge things had been tough for them but not enter into a ‘barrister bashing’ discussion, which would only serve to frustrate the client further.

I would really like to see things change for vulnerable victims in terms of the Criminal Justice System, I think the ISVA role goes a long way to providing a huge support here but the system itself needs constant review if we are to change the experiences of some of the most vulnerable people who have experienced sexual violence.

On a less serious note when it comes to being challenged, sharing an office with a Gary Barlow fan isn’t great, especially when she is also a Manchester City supporter!!’

What is your greatest achievement in relation to your role?

‘There have been many achievements I can think of within this role.  Some may seem small to others, but sometimes just engaging with a client who had given up on services and being able to give them hope can feel like a huge achievement.  It’s those times when the job feels really worthwhile and you feel you can really make a difference to the direction someone’s life takes.  I am currently working with a young person who finds it very difficult to engage with people in general.  My client has many issues and finds it very hard to communicate what they need.  We have built up a really good relationship over time and we have worked through some real difficulties.  I see this as a huge achievement and hope that their trust in me, and the rapport we have built, will continue to help when the time comes to attend court.

I have also had a couple of achievements in terms of my personal development within this role. Becoming the ISVA Team leader has been both challenging and rewarding. I have started to master my public speaking fear by doing presentations at courses run here at St Mary’s’.

How would you like to see the ISVA role developed in the next 3-5 years?

‘I am hoping that ISVAs can be seen in a more professional light and have a higher profile. I have worked closely in the past with barristers and CPS when there has been a difficult case, and it has been very beneficial for the client as I have been able to advocate for the client or empower them to communicate their wishes.  I would like to see a more joined up approach between ISVAs and other professionals so we can work together to provide the client with more choice, better information and a solid platform to communicate their wishes.  I would like to see the criminal justice process change for victims of sexual violence and I am passionate about ISVAs being part of this.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your role with other ISVAs?

‘It’s really valuable to work as part of a dedicated team.  I am very grateful to be able to reflect with my colleagues on the best course of action and discuss cases.  We have group supervision every 6 weeks but without the support of my colleagues I think I would find this job overwhelming.  I think it is important for ISVAs to support but also allow ourselves to be supported by colleagues as vicarious trauma can be a big problem in roles such as these and we can find ourselves lost in the world of the client’.

http://www.stmaryscentre.org

Clare was interviewed by LimeCulture as part of our new blog series “Interview with an ISVA’. LimeCulture is the leading ISVA training provider, having successfully trained over 100 ISVAs since 2011. LimeCulture is a huge supporter of the ISVA role, which we believe to be a vital part of the response to victims of sexual violence. The aim of this new blog series is to showcase the important and varied work that is done by ISVAs across the country in support of victims. I

Last month’s Interview with an ISVA can be found by clicking here. If you are an ISVA and you would like your work to be featured in ‘Interview with an ISVA’, please email info@limeculture.co.uk.

Yesterday saw LimeCulture launch its new professional training course. There has already been significant interest from a range of ISVAs who want to continue their professional development and enrol in this professional training.

The Advanced Development Programme (ADP) is an intensive 3-day training programme for experienced ISVAs leading to a professional certificate of accreditation. The ADP is practice-oriented and aims to strengthen the competencies and skills of ISVAs wishing to continue their professional development.

The training will take place on Monday 14, Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 July 2014 and will be held in Manchester. The cost of the course is £500 plus VAT per person.

ISVAs are encouraged to enroll for the ADP to upgrade their skills and knowledge to enable them to appropriately support victims of sexual violence with complex needs. The ADP is directly relevant to the needs of ISVAs located within the voluntary and community sector (third sector), SARCs, NHS, Local Authority and Police.

About the ADP training

The course has been designed specifically for ISVAs to enable them to support clients who have experienced sexual violence and have complex needs. The training includes the following modules:

1a-Providing effective support for men and boys who have experienced sexual violence

1b- Providing effective support for sex workers who have experienced sexual violence

2a- Working with young women who have been affected by gangs

2b- Working with victims who have been sexually exploited

3- Responding effectively to people with mental health problems who have experienced sexual violence

Each unit contains a comprehensive syllabus of challenging content aimed at equipping ISVA’s with further practical skill and knowledge in which to embed and influence their everyday practice.

The course is delivered by leading UK experts sourced by LimeCulture and appointed based on their depth of experience and knowledge of sexual violence.

Further accredited training to support ISVAs

The ADP course has been developed by LimeCulture as a result of requests from ISVAs wanting to continue their professional development and have access to more in depth training that is tailored specifically to the ISVA role. This is the first course of its kind and has been developed and designed especially for experienced ISVAs.

The ADP is accredited under our NCFE Investors In Quality (IIQ) License, which was awarded to us to provide formal recognition for our courses.  This means that ISVAs attending this course will benefit from being awarded a certificate of achievement, which supports professional development.

To allow ISVAs to consider the depth of study, difficulty and level of achievement involved, the course measurable learning outcomes have been benchmarked at Level 4 (using Ofqual’s Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) level descriptors).

NCFE is an awarding organisation that is regulated by:

• Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England.
• The Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council.
• Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Entry Requirements

All delegates are required to provide information about their time in service as an ISVA and details of training previously completed at the time of booking. This information will be used to ensure that each delegate receives information and tutoring at a level appropriate to their knowledge and skill.

To book a place, email info@limeculture.co.uk

Maximum numbers will apply, so early booking is recommended.

What does your average workday consist of?

“As a Child and Young person’s ISVA my day would ordinarily start with recording case notes from the previous night’s sessions and completing actions as most sessions take place out of school hours. Case notes are recorded on the Barnardo’s intranet system following strict procedures in line with outcome monitoring. Mornings are predominantly office based so provide a good opportunity to chase case updates from Police, CPS and Witness care. It is also a good time to organize pre court preparation with our peer supporters and the witness service who accompany us on home and school visits in the run up to court. Office time is also used to prepare for sessions where young people have asked to cook at SECOS or engage in craft activities such as painting or model making.

Some young people opt for lunchtime sessions and school either allows me to take a young person off site for a picnic and a walk or a private room is made available in school for us to share lunch and a chat. Afternoons are often filled with multi agency meetings which ensure holistic support for the young people; these may consist of core group meetings with social workers and school staff, Child Protection conferences and Looked After Child meetings etc. From mid afternoon I am busy collecting individual young people from school and home in order to engage them in ISVA support. As all sessions are child and young person led content varies from having a hot chocolate by the beach to making a curry for the family in the SECOS kitchen. We try to see young people at least fortnightly for intensive outreach support”.

 What is your favourite thing about your role?

“Having been a primary school teacher for 15 years I love having the opportunity to work 1-1 with children and young people. Providing emotional and practical support through non-direct work means I can work creatively within sessions. The working relationship has time to strengthen as I support the young person through the criminal justice process which allows me to tailor support to meet individual needs and interests’.

What is the most challenging thing about your role?

“Helping children, young people and their families understand and come to terms with an outcome such as ‘no further action’ by Police or CPS and a ‘not guilty’ verdict by a jury. We do however have good relationships with CPS who have accompanied us on home visits to help families understand decisions made and how to appeal against them”.

 What is your greatest achievement in relation to your role?

‘In 2012 I ended my support for 2 individual girls aged 14 who at the time did not know each other. I had supported both girls for about a year each, both A* students who had struggled to cope with the emotional fallout from their experience. Both girls felt frustrated with the criminal justice system outcomes relating to their individual cases and as part of their healing requested that they be able to support other ISVA clients in the future. I introduced the girls to each other and we developed a contract that ensured that they were kept safe within appropriate boundaries. The girls discussed how they wanted to offer support to other young people and felt that they would have liked to talk to someone their own age who knew how they felt before going to court. The girls developed the protocols for their peer support; they decided that in order to engage in their support young people should have a number of opportunities to meet them before court preparation. The peer supporters developed a leaflet offering coping strategies to help young witnesses and use this in their support sessions. Feedback has shown that this is an essential part of our service and young people have commented that it has made a difference to their engagement in the criminal justice process. One young person commented: ‘If they can do it and then get their life back on track whatever the outcome then so can I’.

I have had the pleasure of watching our peer supporters grow in confidence from shy young girls to assertive advocates. The girls are currently involved in an ongoing project with Barnardo’s policy and development unit that will eventually lead to developing resources to train judicial staff (including defence barristers) across the country in how to treat young witnesses.

In December I accompanied the peer supporters to a parliamentary inquiry relating to CSE victims and the sex offences laws. The girls spoke eloquently to the group about their experiences and what needs to change in order to meet the needs of future victims. One of the peer supporters challenged the term ‘child prostitute’ appearing in government policy and how this created confusion for the general public and professionals alike as it suggested choice. The other peer supporter challenged gaps in the grooming law that did not account for the concept of informed consent.

I am immensely proud of how much these girls have grown and their journey has only just begun, they are both keen to pursue legal and political careers and I am sure they will continue to work to safeguard children and young people in the future. They both speak of how they have managed to turn the most negative experience in their lives into the most positive”.

If there is one thing that you could change relating to your role, what would it be?

“Despite continuous efforts to raise the profile of the ISVA role it remains misunderstood by some professionals. It would be great if the role of the ISVA was as understood by key agencies as the role of the Police or judiciary seems to be. This would make requests for special measures such as accompanying a child in the video link room so much easier and ensure the best service to all children and young people without the barriers created by miscommunication and misconceptions’.

How would you like to see the ISVA role developed in the next 3-5 years?

“I would like to see the ISVA role formally recognized as an integral part of the criminal justice process with the same respect and understanding given to other key players. Once an ISVA outlines the support needs of a victim they should not be challenged but professionally acknowledged”.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your role with other ISVAs?

“As of December I became the manager for our ISVA service. I am really excited about this role but also know that I will miss the face to face work with children and young people. I am committed to continue working with the peer supporters in their efforts to improve conditions for young witnesses, particularly those affected by sexual exploitation. I am keen to research ways other countries support victims and look for models of best practice we can incorporate into our work on both a local and national level.

We are very lucky in our region as we have a number of agencies providing different ISVA support and the practitioners meet monthly during a shared breakfast, now that my role has changed I feel the managers would also benefit from such a networking meeting (and bacon butty opportunity!) We all have the same service aim and together lets hope we are stronger!”

       www.barnardos.org.uk

Clare was interviewed by LimeCulture as part of our new blog series “Interview with an ISVA’. LimeCulture is now the leading ISVA training provider, having successfully trained over 100 ISVAs since 2011. LimeCulture is a huge supporter of the ISVA role, which we believe to be a vital part of the response to victims of sexual violence. The aim of this new blog series is to showcase the important and varied work that is done by ISVAs across the country in support of victims. If you are an ISVA and you would like your work to be featured in ‘Interview with an ISVA’, please email info@limeculture.co.uk

LimeCulture is thrilled to have joined forces with Abianda to develop and deliver a series of multi-agency training events for frontline professionals about girls and gangs.

In November 2013, the Ending Gang and Youth Violence (EGYV) Team at the Home Office commissioned LimeCulture and Abianda to come together to write the programme for a one-day training event for a range of professionals on how to identify and support gang-associated young women and girls to take place between January and March 2014.

Originally we were asked us to deliver 4 events (2 in London, 1 in Manchester and 1 in Nottingham). However, once they opened the events up to interested professionals who wanted to book their places, the 4 events were almost immediately oversubscribed, with over twice the demand than places available. To try and increase the number of professionals accessing the training, the Home Office have agreed to put on a further 2 days before the end March. So in total, we will be delivering 6 training events to 60 professionals each between now and March. The Home Office are also looking into whether there is any possibility of rolling more training events beyond March to meet some more of the demand from professional to access this training.

We certainly hope there will be more training events beyond March because this is such an important area for professionals to be aware of. The more professionals become aware of how girls and young women are affected by gangs, the better able we will be to identify the very real risks that these girls might face, and help to protect and support them.

We have now (at the time of writing) delivered the first 2 events (which have been supported by Public Health England, Youth Justice Board and the College of Policing) to over 60 professionals at each event, with a wide variety of organisations represented, including police officers, teachers, nurses, ISVAs and IDVAs, staff from Youth Offending Services (YOS), probation and a wide range of third sector organisations.  The learning from the 2 events and the feedback from discussions with delegates have identified that there is a growing concern about the impact of gangs on girls and young women, with agencies recognising that there may be an increasing number of girls that are at risk of harm, but many remain unclear about the specific risks that these girls face, and how they manifest. For example, some of the young women may be at risk of significant violence, including sexual violence or forced into finding other girls to recruit or abuse, but they may also be at risk from being involved in criminal offending themselves, for example they may be involved in committing burglaries or drug dealing themselves or asked to hold guns or drugs for other gang members. The consequences to these young women is far reaching and significant.

From the 2 events that we have delivered so far, it is clear that there is growing concerns amongst professionals about how best to actually identify and respond to the needs of these girls. For example, many of the girls may themselves be displaying signs of disruptive or difficult (or indeed criminal) behaviour themselves. It can sometimes be difficult for professionals to see past this and identify the risk that they face or indeed what is causing them to behave in a certain way. We were told that is is difficult for professionals to know what questions to ask them (and how to ask them) to enable young women to open up and tell them honestly about the dangers they face. Importantly, the professionals at the events were able to identify that there is a very important need to support these young women without putting them at further risk. However, in practice this can be very tricky and will require a unique response from professionals that will mean that they need to utilise a different set of skills, knowledge and understanding.

Abianda and LimeCulture are looking forward to delivering the next 4 events and working with the range of professionals to raise their awareness about their role in identifying and responding to the needs of young women affected by gangs.

About Abianda and LimeCulture

ABIANDA is a social enterprise that works with young women affected by gangs and the professionals that support them. We support young women to have a voice and to influence decisions that affect their lives. Contact us here

LimeCulture is a specialist sexual violence organisations providing support to frontline professionals (and their organisations) working with victims of sexual violence. Through our range of training and development programmes, we work with frontline professionals to improve their response to victims of sexual violence to ensure that they are able to provide high-quality, safe and effective support services. 

The dates for our 6th Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Development Programme has been confirmed today!

This 6-module specialist training will be held between May and November 2014 in Rugby. We went for a midlands locations to try and reduce the travel times for as many ISVAs as possible. Having held ISVA training in Manchester, Bristol and London, we felt it was about time that we went to the Midlands. As Rugby has great connections by road and public transport, we choose the Golden Lion Hotel as our training venue for the 12 training days (they have offered delegates a reduce rate for accommodation too as a bonus for our delegates!).

Please visit www.limeculture.co.uk for further information about the training available for ISVAs

Please Note: Anyone wishing to attend all of the ISVA Development Programme can book the entire course for £2000 plus VAT ( saving £400 plus VAT)

If you would like to book a place, please email info@limeculture.co.uk for a booking form

LimeCulture is now the leading provider of ISVA training. Having now trained over 120 ISVAs and Managers since 2011.  We ensure that our practical training is up to date and includes all the latest developments to ensure that ISVAs are equipped with knowledge and skills to enable them to carry out their role in supporting victims of sexual violence.

Today, Friday 25 October, saw LimeCulture launch a new group on facebook especially for Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs). The new facebook group, named ‘Network of ISVAs’ can be found by clicking here

The purpose of the Network of ISVAs is a private space where ISVAs can chat with their peers. The description for the group reads: ‘The aim of this group is to bring together Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs). This group is a place where ISVAs can ask questions, discuss and share ideas and experiences, help one another and learn from each other. Whether ISVA services are located in the Voluntary and Community Sector, SARCs or Statutory Agencies, the ISVAs play an integral role in providing support and responding to those who have been raped on sexually assaulted. For this reason, ISVAs are an important workforce and this group is intended as a place where ISVAs can network’.

LimeCulture is a huge supporter of ISVAs and the work that they do in support of victims of sexual violence. We have been campaigning to central government for more support for the ISVA workforce. This has resulted in Home Office funding being made available to pay for accredited training for some ISVAs, but there is still more to be done. Following a range of discussions with ISVAs (including a series of focus groups in 2012, 5 cohorts of ISVAs that have undertaken the LimeCulture ISVA Development Programme and Knowledge and Network: An Event for ISVAs in April 2013), one of the things LimeCulture are most concerned about is the isolation and lack of peer support that a number of ISVAs have reported. This cannot be allowed to continue. The jobs of ISVAs are hard enough without them feeling isolated and alone on top of what they do. They deserve to be able to access support from their peers, seek advice and learn from the experiences of other people doing the same job. Surely?!

LimeCulture have been lobbying the Home Office to support them to establish a National Network for ISVAs, but as yet have received no response to the proposal. Although the Sexual Violence Against Children and Vulnerable People Action Plan does contain an action at point 15 to support the establishment of an ‘ISVA national network’.  So although disappointed in the lack of response from the Home Office to support the establishment of this National Network, we remain determined to continue to support the ISVA workforce. Therefore, as an interim solution, we have established the Network for ISVAs in the hope that the ISVAs will find this facebook group a useful tool to get in contact with each other.

It is the hope of LimeCulture that the ISVAs will run this group themselves, free from the politics surrounding their role and many of their organisations, and use it to post ideas, suggestions, solutions and chat to other ISVAs from different parts of the country. Lets see how it goes. If it works, then hopefully we can demonstrate to the Home Office the need for a formal National Network of ISVAs afterall!

LimeCulture has been working hard over the last 2 years to drive up standards for Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs). Having trained over 80 ISVAs, we are huge supporters of this workforce and we are committed to ensuring that the profile of the ISVA is raised to enable them to support victims effectively.

Over the last few months a number of ISVAs have contacted LimeCulture to ask whether there was anything that could be done to improve their lot at court. Some ISVAs told us how difficult they had found it to support their clients when they gave evidence because of Judges, barristers, ushers and members of the witness service challenging the right of the ISVA to carry out this role. This is in spite of the fact that Achieving Best Evidence 2011 explicitly states that this is a function that the ISVA can undertake, provided they have been properly trained. The consequence of this is that there are a number of victims of sexual violence who are not being properly supported, even though they have an ISVA who should be able to support them.

LimeCulture was shocked by the number of ISVAs who have reported this to be an issue for them and decided that something has to be done to raise the profile of the ISVA role amongst other professionals, to enable them to do their jobs effectively, and makes sure that they are not blocked by professionals who do not understand their roles and responsibilities. Therefore, LimeCulture raised this matter with officials at the Ministry of Justice and the HM Courts and Tribunal Service to see what could be done. Following a productive meeting with the officials,  we are pleased to say that the MoJ and HMCTS were very supportive of the ISVA role. Since the meeting, we have kept in touch with them and numerous emails later,  we have today learned that HMCTS are keen to ensure that information about ISVAs – their roles and responsibilities – will be included in the material that is available to people working in the court service.

LimeCulture has also been in discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ask that they ensure that their lawyers and caseworkers are clear about both the role of the court supporter and the right of the ISVA to act as one. We will keep you updated on progress.

While there is still a long way to go to ensure that the role of the ISVA is properly understood and supported in every single case, LimeCulture believe that by improving the knowledge of those working in the court service, this development should go a long way to increase the awareness of the support that can and should be provided by ISVAs.

However,  ISVAs themselves may want to be proactive. There are things that ISVAs can do to help ensure that they are given the opportunity to carry out this vital role in supporting their client at court. A few practical steps are listed below:

• Make sure you are named as the witness supporter on the special measures application (assuming this is what your client wants!)
• Ask the police to keep you updated with the outcome of the application
• If the application is granted and you are named as the witness supporter, check that the court (ie Ushers and the Witness Service) are aware of this when you attend court for the pre-trial visit.
• Check again on the day of the trial when you arrive at court. This should be done through the CPS. If there is any attempt to change the decision on the day of the trial, then OBJECT
• Use all of the above as evidence to support your objection.

LimeCulture would be keen to hear from ISVAs about their experiences in the court room. Please contact us by email info@limeculture.co.uk

LimeCulture begins training our 5th cohort of ISVAs tomorrow (2 October 2013). For further information about the training available for ISVAs please visit our website www.limeculture.co.uk

Today (Friday 6th September) saw the launch of Reveal Magazine’s campaign “Report Every Rape’.

Reveal Magazine established the campaign following their shock about the conviction rates for sexual offences and have conducted a survey of over 1000 women in London. Their survey found that ‘15% of those polled had been forced to have sex against their will. One-fifth of victims had gone to the police about their attack – but an overwhelming 86% believed they would have been more likely to if there were more independent workers to support them through the justice system’.

Following discussions with Rape Crisis, Reveal have decided to petition the government to increase the number of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs). LimeCulture wholeheartedly supports Reveal’s campaign to increase the number of ISVAs.

ISVAs are professionals who provide independent support to victims of sexual violence to report their abuse, access support services and provide vital support throughout the court process. LimeCulture has been a huge advocate for the ISVA role and we have written a number of blogs about them over the last year or so click here and here and here. Since 2011, we have trained over 80 ISVAs (our 5th cohort of ISVAs are due to start their training in October 2013) and we held the first National Event for ISVAs (Knowledge and Network) in April 2013 with King’s College London, which was attended by over 70 ISVAs. They are a fantastic and dedicated bunch, and we need to make sure that every single person (woman, man and child) who experiences sexual violence has access to a properly trained ISVA. So it is great to see Reveal’s commitment to increasing the number of ISVAs across the country.

However, much much more needs to be done to support ISVAs. Increasing the number of ISVAs is important but more needs to be done first. For example, it is unknown exactly how many ISVAs there are working across the country. There is no up to date register of ISVAs, so it is impossible to know how many there are or where they work. Therefore, it is impossible to know how many more ISVAs are needed. It is not known how many victims have access to an ISVA, so it is impossible to know how many don’t have access to an ISVA.

Now, we know that more ISVAs are needed because the ISVAs tell us they could use more support. We know there is a deficit of ISVA service provision but we don’t know how big that gap is. We know that many ISVAs are overworked and many feel stressed in their jobs. Some ISVAs have very large caseloads and run themselves ragged trying to support to many people. However, there are also ISVAs who are not.

The important thing here is the ISVA role varies dramatically from area to area. In fact, the ISVA role varies from organisation to organisation. Worryingly, this means that the quality of the support provided by ISVAs also varies dramatically. Some ISVAs are brilliant and we know they are providing excellent quality support to victims. We know because we’ve trained them. We know because we’ve worked with them. BUT we also know that some ISVAs are not providing high quality services. We know that some ISVAs have given the wrong information and advice to victims and we know that the way that some organisations have interpreted the ISVA role is dangerous and unsafe.

We also know that when ISVAs get their jobs right, the outcomes for victims are fantastic and invaluable. But in some areas, the ISVAs are not ALLOWED to do their jobs. In some areas, the role of the ISVA is not properly understood by other professionals and the ISVAs get blocked from doing their jobs. In some areas, ISVAs have been stopped from entering the courtroom to support their clients. In some areas, the police or doctors don’t tell the victim that there are ISVAs that can give them support.

LimeCulture is working very hard to make improvements in support of the ISVA role and try to address these issues. So while we strongly support Reveal’s campaign to increase the number of ISVAs. There is more that needs to be done first.

Lets make sure that the ISVAs that are already in place can do their jobs properly, by giving them (and their organisations) the tools they need. Lets make sure that the ISVA in Birmingham provides the same high quality service that the ISVA in Norfolk, Surrey, Liverpool and Cardiff provide so that it doesn’t matter in what area you are, the ISVA provision is ALL high-quality.  Lets make sure that ALL ISVAs are specially trained, and to a very high level.  Lets make it clear to the ISVAs themselves (and the organisations that employ them) what is part of the ISVAs job and what is NOT part of the ISVAs job. Lets make sure that other professionals know what ISVAs do and LET them do it. Lets help people know where the ISVAs are and how to contact them for support. Lets get the ISVA role right before we increase the number who can get it wrong.

LimeCulture’s 5th Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) Development Programme starts in October 2013. Click here to find out more.

LimeCulture will be holding a Workshop for ISVA Managers on Tuesday 26 November 2013 in Manchester. Click here to find out more.

For more information about the work of LimeCulture visit our website www.limeculture.co.uk.

Today saw the launch of LimeCulture’s first newsletter!

The Newsletter is intended to be a useful way to keep our stakeholders, customers and partners up to date with our latest news and developments. It also provides information and updates from the wider sexual violence sector that may be of interest.

It’s short, it’s sweet and it’s yours to read and forward to whoever you think may be interested in hearing our news!

To read the newsletter click here

If you would like to subscribe to our mailing list please click here and our next Newsletter will be sent to you automatically.

We hope you enjoy it!

LimeCulture are currently conducting a survey to find out what level of support and assistance local sexual violence services are currently receiving. LimeCulture are also interested to find out whether services could benefit from national support and advice on a range of issues.

If you work for an organisation that provides a service for victims of sexual violence, we want to hear your views!

Please complete this short survey for sexual violence services and let us know your views!

The survey will take you less than 3 minutes to complete!!

Thanks very much for your help.