Home | Services |Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Service

Domestic and Sexual Violence

.

Advocacy Unit

.

What is the Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Service?

The Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Service has four key roles:

.

• To support all survivors assessed at high risk of harm due to domestic and sexual violence, by providing safety planning, practical support, advocacy and referrals to other specialist services

.

• To provide support to any survivor who has reported to the police and whose case is going to court regardless of   the level of risk involved                                                        

.

• To provide support to survivors from Black and Minority Ethnic communities, heterosexual male survivors and survivors from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

.

• To provide advice to professionals on how to deal with survivors disclosing domestic and sexual violence, risk assessment, safety planning, next steps and appropriate referral agencies

.

• . 

Who is it for?  

.

Women and men at high risk of domestic and sexual violence living in Islington. Whether or not you choose to report to the police, we will support you. The service for women is delivered at SWA’s Outreach office in Islington.  The men’s service is delivered from the Whittington Hospital.

.

Who is the Advocacy team?

All the advocates are CAADA* qualified. The team includes five female advocates and a male advocate who works from a separate office. Languages spoken by team members include Italian, Somali and Turkish.   

.

.

What kind of support?

We offer support, advice, information and assistance in relation to managing and reducing your risk, safety planning and exploring options including housing, welfare benefits, criminal and civil legal options.

.

In addition to the direct work with service users, we also act as a resource for Islington based organisations, working with or coming across domestic or sexual violence as an element of their overall work, offering information and guidance on responding appropriately to disclosure of domestic violence. 

.

The Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) is a multi-agency forum for sharing information and action planning for domestic violence survivors where there is a high risk to the survivor of further assault or harm. The Advocacy Service and the MARAC are the lead agencies in Islington responsible for co-ordinating services to enhance the safety of women and men at high risk of domestic violence and their children. We will always represent your interests as a survivor at the MARAC. 

How can I get support?

We accept referrals from statutory (health, housing, police) or voluntary agencies.

If you wish to self refer and you are not in touch with any agencies, please call : :

• SWA Advice Line on 0808 802 5565** if you are a woman
• Islington Victim Support on 020 7700 6014, if you are a man

.

For further information or to make a referral,

Phone : 020 7281 9284

Email: advocacy@solacewomensaid.org

.

* CAADA Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse

** Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones on 3, O2,Orange, Virgin, Vodaphone and T mobile networks

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.