Page 36 - SafeLinkEvaluation

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Conclusions and key learnings
The evaluation demonstrates the service is successful and has broken new ground in the support and protection of survivors with LD. By having a dedicated LD ISVA it has raised the profile of rape and sexual abuse within the LD community and given survivors a clear message that their experience matters. Prior to this service, there was a vacuum in support for survivors with LD, which left them out in the cold and vulnerable to repeat victimisation. The evaluation shows that the LD ISVA role is a genuine commitment
to inclusion and should be an integral element of any ISVA service.
The service has verified that with a person- centred approach, survivors can articulate their experience and make informed choices about their future. Key to reaching survivors with LD is that services change their model to meet their LD needs, and not expect them to ‘fit into’ existing generic services. To ensure these changes
are authentic they need to be informed by the survivors themselves and coproduction is vital.
Key learning
The role of an LD ISVA encompasses more activities and tasks than a generic ISVA. It is much wider than supporting the survivor, with family/carers and professionals all requiring intervention. There is a strong awareness-raising and training component for professionals in
the role, coupled with sensitivity to parents
and carers. Raising awareness, challenging assumptions, and presenting alternative viewpoints requires diplomacy and compassion.
The understanding and needs of the survivor guide the pace of work. Face-to-face support, which has proven to be the most effective way of communicating, and survivor-led decision-making take time, and both require the LD ISVA to have a smaller caseload.
There is still much work to be done with Police and CJS to improve their understanding and response to survivors with LD. There are pockets of good practice, but overall survivors with LD do not fare well in the CJS.
Professionals and family members/carers can inadvertently limit survivors’ choices and they need help to respond appropriately to disclosures. A lack of understanding of sexual vulnerability leaves survivors open to repeat victimisation.
Having a range of resources, including easy- read literature, is essential for survivors to communicate what has happened to them and to understand their options. The costs of these should factor into the budget for the ISVA post.
The emotional impact of rape and sexual assault cannot be over emphasised. For a survivor
with LD, the experience is compounded by communication and comprehension issues and they can face discrimination when they ask for help. The interplay of these factors makes the post of an LD ISVA even more essential as an effective and inclusive response to rape and sexual abuse.
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