Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy
As part of the South Yorkshire Sexual Violence Partnership, the ISVA service offers practical help, advice & information for victims of rape and sexual abuse and their families.
Who is the ISVA service for?
The ISVA service helps anyone who has been the victim of unwanted sexual contact. If you have been raped or sexually abused at any time in your life, our ISVA service can offer you practical support to deal with your circumstances. Our aim is to help give you the confidence, support and information you need to take control of your situation and move forward. ISVA’s receive specialist training to support people who have disclosed sexual violence in order to provide a tailored support package, they have Police Vetting clearance and have enhanced DBS checks.
Our service is available to men, women, children and families, regardless of whether you have told the police or anyone else about the attack.
What does the ISVA do?
Your individual worker (ISVA) will listen to you and find out what your needs are. He or she will then help you to access support from other agencies, such as:
- Health services
- Housing/Homelessness
- Benefits
- Counselling
The ISVA Service Agreement can be found here
The ISVA will also give you information to help you decide whether you want to report the incident(s) to the Police. You do not have to report the attack. If you decide not to report the matter, we will still provide you with support.
If you do decide to report the matter your worker will help you through the whole process, including working with the Police and the rest of the criminal justice system. Examples of the type of support your ISVA will provide include:
- Liaising with the police, courts, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and other public agencies
- Keeping you informed of developments in your case
- Advocating on your behalf
- Supporting you before and during any court case
The South Yorkshire Sexual Violence Partnership
The South Yorkshire Sexual Violence Partnership is funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to deliver the Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) Service across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
The South Yorkshire Sexual Violence Partnership (SYSVP) consists of three specialist sexual violence providers:
· Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Service (BSARCS)
· Doncaster Rape & Sexual Abuse Counselling Service (DRASACS)
· Rotherham Abuse, Advocacy and Counselling Service (Rothacs)
The Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVA) offer independent, confidential help and emotional support to adults and children, living in South Yorkshire, who have experienced sexual harm at any time in their lives and who have reported, or are considering reporting, their experience to the police.
For those that are considering reporting, we know that the idea of talking to the Police about what happened to you or giving evidence in court can be frightening and overwhelming, but we also know that survivors of sexual violence want and deserve justice.
You can report incidents of sexual harm to the police whether they happened recently or a long time ago. We recommend that if you are considering reporting your experiences that you contact us as we understand that this can be a very difficult decision, particularly if you’re not familiar with the criminal justice process.
More information including a link to the referral form can be found here;
Making a Referral
If you would like to refer yourself or someone into the ISVA service, please complete the secure form (link below) and the details will be passed securely to an ISVA who will make contact within 48 hours:
- if you need help completing the form or wish to discuss a referral for ISVA support, please contact the referral hub on 01226 320140.
- if you want to learn more about the ISVA service then to follow the link to the partnerships website https://www.syisva.org.uk/
