What is an ISVA?

An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) can provide support and information to people who have experienced Sexual Violence and Abuse.

The main role of an ISVA is to:

• Talk through your reporting options
• Provide support through the criminal justice process. This includes communicating with the police and supporting with the court process.
• Act as a single point of contact.
• Provide accurate information to victims/survivors of Sexual Violence
• Provide emotional, practical and advocacy support.
• Support onward referrals and signposting
• Ensure the safety of victims/survivors and any dependents.

Is the ISVA service confidential?

Our ISVA service will aim to provide you with the opportunity to explore any concerns in a safe, confidential space. There are some exceptions where we cannot offer complete confidentiality and may need to pass on information.

For example:

• If we become aware of a risk to either yourself or someone else, such as a child.
• If we are instructed to by the law.

We would always attempt to gain your consent before sharing any information.

What can I do if I have been sexually assaulted?

If you have been sexually assaulted recently and you’re not sure whether you want to report to the police, you can to go directly to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

SARC can complete a forensic exam and collect evidence which can be stored until you’ve made a decision to report or not.

If you are in immediate danger, you should always call 999.

Who can get help from our ISVA?

Our ISVA service is available to:

• Any LGBTQ+ person over the age of 18.
• Living in Greater Manchester.
• This includes support for victims/survivors of recent and non-recent sexual offences.

How to access LGBT Foundation's LGBTQ+ ISVA service

To see a our LGBTQ+ ISVA, all you need to do is fill in a referral form.

We also accept service to service referrals for professionals who wish to refer an individual to our LGBTQ+ ISVA service.