General

Ishah Jawaid is an ISVA at Women and Girls Network, West London Rape Crisis.

Ishah works with women and girls in West London that have experienced any form or sexual violence, including: rape, child sexual abuse, gang related sexual violence, prostitution, trafficking, or any other sexual violence experience that has had a negative impact. She can offer support for current or past experiences and is currently working with 15 clients.

Ishah has been an ISVA for just over 16 months. She started the LimeCulture ISVA Development Programme in October 2013 and has one more module to complete before she is accredited.

What does your average workday consist of?
‘WGN believes strongly in empowering women and girls to make positive informed choices, working holistically, in a multicultural and feminist setting that puts the needs of women and girls first. The work I do as an ISVA, incorporates all of these values and strongly influences the way I work with my clients. There is no day that is the same at West London Rape Crisis, so as an ISVA my day to day schedule is extremely varied. I generally start the week by catching up on, and responding to any e-mail and telephone queries that may have come over the weekend, and then planning and organizing what I am going to be doing for the next five days.

Although there is a lot of structure in the way that I work, I try not to make it so that I cannot be flexible, as the women I work with are over 18 and the majority tend to either be in full time education or working, so it can be difficult for them to meet me during the day. Much of time is spent contacting clients, making welfare calls and arranging to meet women face to face at our centre. The centre itself runs in many ways as a refuge would. Located at a safe address in West London, the centre offers a safe non-judgmental and non-directive space in which women can explore their experiences, participate in psycho educational work, and allow women to discuss what options there are with regards to seeking redress within the criminal justice system and beyond. Following any communication or face to face meetings with women, I often find that a lot of work is generated from this and it is commonly where much of my work begins. After completing risk assessments and support plans, I liaise with a number of external agencies, particularly the police, and more so with the CPS, working in a multi agency capacity, ensuring that a woman is comprehensively supported throughout the various stages of the criminal justice system.

Part of my role also requires me to carry out outreach work with external agencies such as the police, solicitors, statutory and other voluntary agencies. I deliver training to organisations, educating them about the role of the ISVA, sharing best practice and creating referral pathways to ensure that women and girls are informed about all support services that are available to them by an independent advocate. At West London Rape Crisis, we are able to offer a complete support package encompassing, specialist counselling, holistic therapies, workshops, advice and advocacy, all of which are free. I liaise closely with my colleagues, as quite often, my clients do not just need to access the ISVA service, but a broad range of services to promote their total and sustainable recovery. My role as an ISVA is to guide and facilitate, offering a range of interventions on a woman’s journey of healing, according to the expressed needs of each individual woman’.

What is your favourite thing about your role?
‘For me, it is essential that women and girls are offered a safe, woman centered space in which they can explore their experiences and access a range of holistic and support services from an independent advocate. Many of the women that I work with are in a vulnerable place when they come to access the ISVA service. As an ISVA, my role is not to just offer practical support to women around the criminal justice system, but to teach women to recognize their own strength and tenacity, and help them understand that their experiences do not define who they are. I believe that I have an educational role when working with women, and utilizing this skill, I hope to empower women to make informed choices, supporting a woman to take control of her recovery, and helping her transform from being a survivor of violence, to someone who thrives following on from her experiences. I also enjoy advocating for women on a second tier level, on both local and national levels, helping to influence policy and challenging social norms and public opinion around gendered violence, including myths around rape and sexual assault, and working towards eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.

Unfortunately, not all the women I work with have had positive experiences with institutions and the authorities, and many are unsure of what their rights are and how to challenge negative decisions. I work with a number of solicitors who help women take action against authorities, when cases have not been investigated correctly, or some error of law has taken place. As an ISVA, I feel that it is important for me to educate women on what their rights are, and to help them navigate a complex system, particularly when they decide to challenge institutions and hold those in authority to account. For me this is an important extension of my role that allows me to support women to empower themselves and seek other forms of redress’.

What is the hardest/most challenging thing about your role?
‘I think the most challenging thing I find as an ISVA, is when I have a woman who has already experienced a traumatic event such as a rape or childhood sexual abuse, who reports to the police, but no further action is pursued by them or the CPS; or when a case does go to court, and a perpetrator is acquitted, and how to support a women with all the emotions that leaves her with. Despite some encouraging changes being made at a policy level, and by the CPS and ACPO, the criminal justice system is still complicated to navigate, and much more needs to be done to make the system more accessible and less threatening. I often find that regardless of how often the CJS at all its levels is explained to a woman, it can still be a perplexing system to understand. Even when I arrange for pre court visits with women, this still never really prepares them sufficiently for what will happen when they stand in a witness box and are cross examined themselves. It is quite challenging at times to balance supporting and advocating for a woman without becoming so involved, that there is a risk of being seen to be coaching a woman, by the defence. Many women who have had not had the positive outcome they hoped for, often state that they have lost faith in the justice system, and say that should anything happen to them again, they would not even consider reporting anything to the authorities. When cases do go to trial, particularly after cross examination by the defence barrister, women often say that they feel as though it was them who were put on trial, not the perpetrator, and that they felt that they had been raped or abused all over again. Being able to support a woman when she is left in this vulnerable position, particularly if she has other complex needs, often feels as though all the months work that you have done to empower the women and support her recovery, needs to begin all over again. However, it is not an impossible task, and with the ISVA service being able to support women after court as well, and WLRCC having its own in house therapy service, as an organization we are able to offer continued support long term to women and girls.

For some women, where their cases have not been pursued to CPS or court, or their cases have not been investigated correctly, I can assist women with asking for the agency concerned to review or re-open cases and can refer women to legal representatives who specialise in taking action against the authorities, when there has been an error of law. Some women have needed criminal defence solicitors, as they have been wrongly criminalised themselves during a police investigation. However, WGN has been able to build a close partnership with criminal solicitor who has successfully written to the CPS to have all charges against the women dropped, due to it not being in the public interest. All women who access the ISVA service are advised about their right to apply for criminal injuries compensation, and I work closely with a large legal firm who work on a pro bono basis in assisting women to seek other forms of redress for example, by applying for compensation’.

What is your greatest achievement in relation to your role?
‘There are a number of things that I feel have been great achievements in relation to my role. Being able to incorporate holistic working models within my advocacy work has at times been challenging, and although this is very much work in progress, the benefits of this style of working is essential in order to help women and girls empower themselves and promote sustainable recovery. Delivering outreach work to the police and statutory agencies, working in a multi agency capacity and raising the profile of the ISVA with certain agencies has been really beneficial to the women I support. Many women are not aware of the rights they have, so working with legal experts, some of who work pro bono, has been invaluable.

More recently, my colleague and I were asked to speak at an event where legal experts, academics and other leading women’s NGOs raised issues around barriers to justice, and ways in which women can seek redress through the criminal justice system. A member of Women’s Aid attended the conference and after hearing us speak, invited WLRCC to give oral evidence at the House of Commons, All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Domestic and sexual violence. I attended the APPG along with other leading national and local women’s NGO`s, the CPS and the police, and gave oral evidence to a panel of MP`s raising concerns about the failings around the criminal justice system. The APPG outlined the discrimination women and girls face when they do not have access to justice, and highlighted how the CJS can at times, undermine Women and girls human rights. This is particularly concerning, as violence against women and girls is internationally recognized to be a violation of a women and girls human rights, so it is vital that the police and criminal justice system acknowledges this, and challenges its working practices. Furthermore, I, along with other experts, gave recommendations to the panel of MP’s on how the criminal justice system needs to change in response to the evidence presented at the APPG. The APPG has now published a report following the inquiry, and has developed a charter which outlines the treatment of women and girls survivors of sexual violence, and what they should expect from the criminal justice system. The report will be used to urge the government and all those involved in the criminal justice system to sign up to the charter’.

The report can be found by clicking here

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

‘I would ask for more funding to be made available for more ISVA`s to be recruited and trained, and for ISVA`s to have the recognition that they deserve. Although there has been some progress from the government and criminal justice system around the role of ISVAs, much more needs to be done. I believe that it is important for people who already work within the CJS, to be educated about the role of ISVAs, and of the positive impact an ISVA has on a woman and girl, when she receives specialist independent advocacy support. ISVAs need to be recognised as having a professional role when supporting women and girls through the CJS. However, this should not mean that we become so entrenched in the criminal justice system that we lose our independence. For me it is essential that working within the CJS does not mean having to have to compromise the holistic, feminist and multicultural values of the WGN and West London Rape Crisis’.

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

‘It would be very encouraging to receive continued long term funding for ISVAs, but I also think that it would be really beneficial to have ISVAs who specialize in other areas. For example, having more ISVAs who have expertise in mental health, specialist BAMER ISVAs and Young Women’s ISVAs etc. ISVAs are trained and skilled experts in the advocacy we offer, much the same way as other professionals who work within the CJS, and this needs to be recognised. It is unfortunate that the vital role that ISVAs have in the CJS is not validated by the very system that we work within. In addition, the creation of specialist sexual violence courts, where the ISVAs role is recognized and where we could offer expert advocacy support would further support women and girls through the CJS.

On a strategic level, I would like ISVAs to be able to at the forefront of leading the agenda on how the role should be developed, and to outline exactly how the government and CJS need to be supportive of ISVAs. I also think that government bodies need to co-ordinate, and put guidelines and policies into place to ensure that the role of ISVAs is validated, and that support mechanisms are put into place for us’.

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

‘I would suggest that all ISVAs ask their organisations to review their service and referrals, in order to tailor support to the specific needs of the women and girls. It is essential to have structures and policies in place to enable you to support clients professionally and competently, but also in a way that empowers your clients to make informed choices about how they wish to be supported. It is important to develop the ISVA service and to monitor and review your own progress, not just to measure the number of referrals you receive, but to also ensure that you are offering a high quality service.

As an ISVA, I do not believe that our role is to simply support clients through the CJS in just a fundamental way, but that we ensure that when needed, we challenge where appropriate, and act as campaigners and raise awareness of the impact sexual violence has on women and girls within the CJS’.

www.wgn.org.uk

Ishah 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.

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!