Advocacy

Our Advocacy Support Workers provide confidential, emotional and practical support to anyone who has reported, or is considering reporting an experience of sexual violence, to the police.

We will support you to make the decision that is right for you without any pressure or judgement.

If you do decide to report, our worker will support you when giving a statement, liaising with the police during their investigation and throughout the court process should your case proceed to trial.

If you decide not to report we can still offer you support to come to terms with what has happened when you are ready.

Some of the things our Advocacy Workers can help you with include:

Expenses

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.

Interpreters

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

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

Support

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.

There is no right or wrong way to feel after an experience of sexual violence. No matter what you are feeling, The STAR Centre is here for you should you need support. Get in touch here.

If you are unable to reach us, you can call the Rape Crisis Scotland helpline.