AQW 25569/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 03/04/2025
Answered On Date: 17/04/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail any measures in place to ensure that survivors of sexual violence, who do not wish to report to police, still have access to advocacy, legal and therapeutic support.

Answer:

Much of the work that my Department is progressing is focused on supporting and improving the experiences of victims of sexual crime within the criminal justice system so that they will have the confidence to come forward and report sexual crime to police.

However, I recognise the challenges that many victims of sexual crime face and so my Department does fund a number of services for survivors of sexual violence which are not dependent on the survivor having made a report to police.

Core funding of around £1.9M is provided to Victim Support NI who provide emotional support and practical advice to help victims recover from the impact of crime and trauma experienced, even if they do not want to make a report to the police. Victim Support NI works in partnership with a range of organisations and will refer or signpost victims to other specialised services who can provide the necessary support and information victims require, dependant on their individual needs.

The Sexual Offences Legal Advisers, (or SOLAs), and Children’s SOLAs are solicitors employed by Victim Support NI who can provide qualified legal advice to all victims of serious sexual offences, and in the case of children and young people, their families, either prior to or without making a report to police. The SOLAs can provide support and information on victims’ legal rights and options and, should they wish to go on to make a report to police, what they might expect on their journey through the criminal justice process.

My Department, with PSNI, jointly funds the provision of advocacy support services delivered by ASSIST NI. It is a domestic and sexual abuse advocacy support service available to victims of sexual abuse crime who primarily are engaging with the criminal justice system. ASSIST NI will provide advocacy support to victims who have self-referred to The Rowan Sexual Assault Referral Centre and are yet to engage with the Criminal Justice System. ASSIST NI provides trauma-informed guidance, support and information and works with other service providers, advocating on the victim’s behalf, tailoring the service to the victim’s needs.

In addition to the services that my Department funds, there are other supports and services, including counselling and therapeutic services, that are provided by other Departments, including the Department of Health, that victims of sexual crime may be able to avail of.

The Department of Health jointly funds the 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline with the Department of Justice and the Department for Communities (NEXUS NI is the current provider). The Helpline is a confidential, Freephone service available 24/7. The Department of Health provides a range of therapeutic supports and investigative services for children and adults.

While these support services do not fall within the responsibilities of the Department of Justice, nonetheless, the services that my department funds, such as Victim Support NI and ASSIST NI, can help to signpost victims to these wider specialist services to ensure that they can avail support and have their needs met.