Advocacy

It might be handy to know that you can claim expenses for travel, childcare and food if you are asked to meet the Procurator Fiscal, if you decide you want a court familiarisation visit, and if you have to give evidence at a trial. A member of court staff will explain this to you, but if you have any questions in the meantime, please ask a worker at The STAR Centre. If cost of travel would prevent you from attending support at The STAR Centre, you can reach out to us to discuss how we can support you with that.

You have the right to an interpreter when you give a statement (report) to the police, and if you are asked to give evidence at a trial. The STAR Centre can also provide interpreters for sessions with support workers and advocacy workers.

Special measures are intended to help vulnerable witnesses by providing appropriate support when they give their evidence. There are two types of special measures – standard measures that are applied automatically to vulnerable witnesses and additional measures that you will need to request.

Special measures can include:

• A screen in the courtroom
• A television link outside of the courtroom
• A support person (e.g., a friend or family member) that can be there for you at the court
• A prior statement previously given by the witness to be used 
• Evidence to be taken by a commissioner

We offer sessions of one to one therapeutic support. Sessions are weekly, with the same worker and last for 60 minutes. If the trial goes on for a long time sessions and check-ins might dip in frequency, but this is something our advocacy workers would discuss with you first.

These sessions are there to give a space for you to talk about yourself, your life and your thoughts and feelings.