Supporting survivors of abuse

FORCEWIDE

The Blue Door provides our Force Control Room (FCR) with a dedicated Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) service to support call handlers and offer initial contact with victims and survivors of abuse at the earliest opportunity.

The service is innovative and unique in its delivery and was the first of its kind when established in 2018.  It has since been observed in practice by several other forces and agencies and is of particular interest to the new government due to its success.

In 2023 / 2024, the FCR IDVA service made 4,593 referrals to specialist support services, which is 47% of all referrals made.

Referrals can be made to a variety of local services across Humberside such as Specialist Domestic Abuse services, DAP, DVAP, Women’s Aid, Victim Support, MIND, as well as internal referrals to within The Blue Door for both domestic abuse and sexual violence support.

Kay and Victoria, the Senior IDVAs who are permanently based in the FCR, spoke to us about the importance of this service as part of our latest #TellSomeone campaign:

“To most, picking up the phone is the first brave step a survivor of serious sexual offence has taken – whether recent or non-recent - to begin the journey of leaving an abusive relationship, seeking justice for what has happened to them, regain control of their life, and ultimately recognise that what has happened to them is not acceptable.

“When that initial call comes in, the FCR IDVA will complete immediate risk and needs assessment, provide safety planning and information on options.

“This is an opportunity for the victim to ask questions around what might happen next, and how an IDVA, or Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA), can support them.

“This really does have a long-term impact on victim engagement, helping to build trust and understanding of the process. Our priority is the victim, and we will focus on listening to exactly what they need, when they need it and how much interaction they want to have with both police and independent support services.

“For some people, a criminal process is not what they need at that time, they might just want some advice or civil orders to be put in place to feel safeguarded.

“But even if someone is not ready to continue with ongoing support, or changes their mind along the way, the service provided by the FCR IDVA is often enough to ensure the victim reaches out again, when needed, no matter how much time has passed since that first call.

“Prior to picking up the phone, people may not recognise what is happening as domestic, or sexual abuse, or they think too much time might have passed since the abuse happened. The call handlers being able to offer an immediate conversation or follow up call with the in-house IDVAs at this crucial time allows discussion in a way that is supportive, informative and victim focused.

“For those who have used, and continue to use this service, they soon realise they do not have to go through things alone and support is available every step of the way.

“Whichever stage people are at when speaking to the FCR IDVA, appropriate support and advice will be provided, tailored to their individual circumstances, ensuring they feel heard and understood.

“Being able to speak direct to an IDVA is another advantage Humberside Police have and utilise when supporting anyone affected by these issues.

“We would urge people to listen to Jamie’s story. She has shown admirable strength and waived her legal right to anonymity with one main aim - to support other victims to tell someone.”