Information: Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs)

Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs)

There are a team of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) based in the Casework Team who can provide emotional and practical support, information, and guidance to any UCL student reporting or considering reporting incidents of Sexual Misconduct to the University.

ISVAs work in a trauma informed way, based on the principles of choice, collaboration, empowerment, trust, and safety.  

ISVAs can: 

• Explain the University’s policies and procedures relating to sexual misconduct 
• Support reporting students to understand their rights and reporting options and to make informed choices, following a report of sexual violence and misconduct 
• Provide support throughout all stages of the casework disciplinary process, including accompanying students to panel hearings and outcome meetings 
• Act as a single point of contact when required, with regards to the casework process and when supporting students with wider areas of impact such as: health, wellbeing, safety, housing, studies etc 
• Connect reporting students to additional support services, internally and/or externally to UCL, in support of their wider welfare and wellbeing needs.  
• Support students wishing to report to the police to understand their options and to access wider specialist support through the criminal justice process 
• Empower students to make informed decisions by providing information, support, and general guidance, without giving legal advice or telling someone what they should do

How to make contact  

Students can contact the ISVAs directly by email on casework.isva@ucl.ac.uk to arrange a confidential conversation about reporting options and the support available.   

If a staff member has any questions about the reporting process on behalf of a student, they can discuss this confidentially with an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, based in the Casework Team on casework.isva@ucl.ac.uk (please ensure that you have the student’s permission to discuss their situation first).