Southampton’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisory Service is More Relevant Than Ever

WHEN someone has gone through the massive trauma of sexual assault, telling the police about it and going to court can be the last thing that they want to do. It is hard to know exactly how many rapes and other serious sexual assaults go unreported, but we estimate the figure at 85%.

SRC’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) Ann says that there are a number of barriers to someone choosing to report sexual assault. “Fears of courtrooms, fears of cross-examination and fears of having to tell people are all barriers to reporting,” she says. “Something could have happened 40 years ago and they might never have told a soul. Fear of not being believed is another big reason and fear of not getting a conviction.”

Tracey, who was involved in setting up the ISVA service in Southampton, adds: “Victims often don’t verbalise what has happened to them. They might not tell anyone, and part of going to the police is that they would have to do that, so the police could gather evidence.”

The ISVA Service was set up by the Home Office five years ago and was one of a number of schemes established across the country to tackle sexual violence. The service is part of Southampton Rape Crisis (SRC) and is completely independent of the police and legal system.

The ISVA Service provides our clients with the information and support they need to make an informed choice about whether to report an attack and to support them if they decide to do so. “We don’t have an agenda,” says Tracey, who explains that she and Anne do not encourage or discourage victims to contact the police. The decision is entirely with the client. “We’re here purely for their wellbeing.”

If people do decide to report, the aim of the service is to support them through the process.

That ranges from contacting the police for them if they wish to and arranging for a specially trained police officer to come to SRC to take a statement to – if the case makes it to court – arranging for the client to see the courtroom, making sure they understand the court process and managing their expectations of the outcome.

Around 10% of the ISVA’s clients are men and the service is for anyone form the age of 12+ that lives in Southampton, were assaulted in the city or whose assault is being dealt with by Southampton police. There are other ISVA services elsewhere, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. “The main thing we believe is that nothing justifies rape,” says Tracey. “It’s very human to beat yourself up but there is just no justification.”

The ISVA’s have built up a good relationship with the police over the last five years. “The police work incredibly hard in Southampton,” she says.  “They do everything in their power to bring a case to justice. They always take sexual assault seriously, no matter how much time has passed since the attack took place. Cases that are 50 years old have reached the courts.”

When the service was first established in Southampton it only had six month’s funding. Since then it has expanded to two members of staff and other ISVA’s have sprung up across the country. And Tracey and Anne want to make more people aware of the free service and let people know that it is there for them, if they need it. “Lots of people feel very alone in their experience and don’t know where to go or what to do,” says Anne. “Do they phone the police? We can be the bridge to that. People wonder if it’s OK for them to use the service. We would always encourage people to contact us. We’re here for them.”

Around 21% of girls and 11% of boys experience some form of child sexual abuse.

23% of women and 3% of men experience sexual assault as an adult.

5% of women and 0.4% of men experience rape.

40% of adults who are raped tell no one about it.

31% of children who are abused reach adulthood without having disclosed their abuse.

(Source: Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse)

Sally Churchward, Southern Daily Echo, first published on 17 March 2012.