【愛知・岐阜・三重・静岡・滋賀・京都・奈良・大阪 限定宅配企画】 YKK

Advocacy Roles, Standards and Training for those
working with Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
Page 1
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
for Professionals working with Victims/Survivors of Child and Adult
Sexual Violence
Parkerville Children and Youth Care
February 2013
Acknowledgements
This literature review was completed as part of the Advocacy Roles, Skills and Training
Project (Project) funded by the Australian Government: Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under the auspices of the National
Framework for Protecting Australia‟s Children.
The project aimed to contribute to the second objective of the FaHCSIA Child Aware
Approaches grants ‘to improve or enhance the service response for children and young
people experiencing, exposed to or at risk of exposure to domestic/ family violence, mental
illness and sexual abuse, recognising that substance abuse issues may intersect with these
risks.’ The Project goals also aligned to the National Framework for Protecting Australia‟s
Children, Outcome 6 which is: child sexual abuse and exploitation is prevented and survivors
receive adequate support.
The Project team is employed by Parkerville Children and Youth Care Inc., a not for profit
organisation in Western Australia. Established in 1903, this agency provides services for
vulnerable children, young people and families. More information about Parkerville Children
and
Youth
Care
and
the
Project
is
available
at
www.parkerville.org.au
and
www.parkervillechildadvocacycentre.com.au
An electronic version of this document along with a range of other Advocacy Role materials
can be found at www.advocacyrole.org
Suggested Citation for this document
Parkerville Children and Youth Care (2013) Literature Review: Advocacy Skills. Perth,
Australia.
Cover artwork was produced by Darcie Hall (11 years).
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
Main Findings ................................................................................................................ 1
Preface, context, terminology and the advocacy role................................................... 4
i Preface and background to the literature review........................................................... 4
ii Context in which this literature review and research was conducted............................ 5
iii Terminology ................................................................................................................ 6
iv Advocacy Roles with Victims/Survivors of Child and Adult Sexual Violence ............... 7
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 8
2 Professional Skills........................................................................................................ 9
Vulnerable Children and Young People ......................................................................... 9
Cultural Competency ................................................................................................... 11
Trauma Informed Approaches...................................................................................... 12
3 Context Skills.............................................................................................................. 13
Sexual Violence Context .............................................................................................. 13
Child Protection............................................................................................................ 15
4 Role Skills ................................................................................................................... 16
Types of Advocacy....................................................................................................... 18
Victims/Survivors Views ............................................................................................... 19
Advocacy Specific Role vs. Advocacy in role ............................................................... 20
5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 22
References ..................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix 1: Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) Sample Job Description
........................................................................................................................................ 26
Appendix 2: Advocacy Domains Document ............................................................... 27
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
Page iii
Executive Summary
Introduction
The aim of this literature review is to examine advocacy skills required by professionals
working with children and adult victim/survivors of sexual violence. This includes those
whose job roles are generally described as advocacy positions as well as the advocacy
responsibilities within other roles such as counsellors, child protection officers or court
support staff.
This research follows the first review of the Project Team which focused on Advocacy Roles
with Victim/Survivors of Child and Adult Sexual Violence. Advocacy roles aim to support
victims/survivors to navigate their way through the justice, welfare and health systems, to
help them get back on their feet, to be on their side and to lobby for systemic change when
indicated. Advocacy roles are highly valued by victims/survivors as well as professionals
who work alongside and with advocates. The first review pointed to an urgent and longstanding need for broad based, victim/survivor advocacy type roles and positions to
complement and enhance (rather than compete with or undermine) existing justice, health
and social-welfare services. Given this finding, this second review aims to articulate the
skills required by professionals working in advocacy roles, skills which are aimed at
promoting quality service provision and improving outcomes for victim/survivors.
Main Findings
This research entailed exploring advocacy skills in the literature, training packages and
occupational standards. Particular attention was paid to research that captured the views
and feedback of children and adults who had experienced advocacy and victim/survivors of
sexual violence.
In isolating and untangling advocacy skills for professionals working with victim/survivors of
sexual assault from other skills sets, it is helpful to consider advocacy skills from three
perspectives:
1. generic front-line type advocacy skills shared across different service areas (aged
care, mental health, out of home care, disability services);
2. specific context skills and focus (in this case sexual violence); and
3. the distinction between full-time advocacy roles and advocacy within other roles.
Generic advocacy skills are well articulated in the Advocacy Charter in which advocacy in all
contexts involves “taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights,
represent their interests and obtain services they need. Advocates and advocacy schemes
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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work in partnership with the people they support and take their side. Advocacy promotes
social inclusion, equality and social justice” (Action for Advocacy, 2004).
Contextual skills, in this instance relate to skills and knowledge specific to the area of sexual
violence against children, young people or adults, whether the violence is recent/acute or
historical. In this context skills in working with people who have experienced trauma,
knowledge of dynamics of child sexual abuse and understanding and capacity to work
alongside victim/survivors in the criminal justice and other systems are required. Through
contextual knowledge, professionals will understand why victims/survivors often do not
report sexual violence or describe their involvement with the justice system as negative and
re-traumatising.
The skills and expectations of advocates are clear from the research regardless of if they are
working in full-time roles or working in other job roles that have advocacy responsibilities. It
is important for any professional to reflect on and be clear about his/her role, duties and
skills. Whilst the professional may draw on existing skill sets he/she needs to identify any
specific advocacy skills they need to develop or accentuate. The Venn diagram below
encourages all professionals to identify their role responsibilities, the advocacy component
involved and skills required.
Advocate Role
Independence
Accessbility
Counsellor Role
Consistency
Past Trauma
Wellbeing
advocacy
Recent Trauma
Choices
Recovery
Participation
advocacy
advocacy
Justice/Protection Roles
Investigation/Police
Safety/Child Protection
Prosecution
Court Support
An advocate‟s role and the skills required are influenced by their role purpose, role context
and their professional qualifications. Primarily the skills of an advocate relate to: being on
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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the side of the victim/survivor, being client led and guided by their fundamental human
rights; remaining independent and empowering the victim/survivor; and interpersonal skills
required to work with vulnerable people which are already part of a professional‟s
qualifications or experience base. If an advocate does not have an existing tertiary
qualification in community services, health or welfare then it may be they will need to
develop
these
interpersonal
skills
through
additional
training
or
study.
Victims/survivors of sexual violence are entitled to sensitive, professional services from all
service providers they come in contact with. Each service provider is potentially an advocate
for the victim/survivor with their agency or system.
Advocacy responsibilities exist for
professionals within helping professions such as counsellors, social workers, psychologists,
welfare officers, child protection workers; those in the legal or justice system - police,
lawyers, prosecutors, magistrates, victim/witness support workers; and medical and health
professionals. For all professionals there are core advocacy principles and common skill sets
to develop.
What victim/survivors seek from professionals in the service system is to be treated with
honesty and respect and to receive help from professionals to access services, and make
informed choices. Victims/survivors of sexual violence specifically valued advocates
because they provided a consistent supportive relationship to the victim/survivor assisting
them to have their needs met across service systems and agencies. Robinson (2009) found
that victim/survivors also commented on the style of the advocate (approachable, friendly,
non-judgemental) and frequency of their contact throughout the professional relationship.
Essentially the „how‟ matters, interpersonal skills, honesty, availability and contact make for
valued support.
In order to the articulate the skills of advocacy and develop training for those working with
victim/survivors of sexual violence the project team have developed nine advocacy role
domains. These nine domains are designed to complement other key areas of knowledge
and skill required by those working in the area of sexual violence such as: working with
vulnerable children and young people; cultural competency; trauma informed practice;
sexual violence and child protection contexts. The Advocacy Role Domains (within which
skills of advocacy are clearly articulated in Appendix 2) are:





Being Accessible
Client Led
Empowering
Independent
Emotional and Practical Support
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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



Informed Decision Making
Criminal Justice Supports
Multi-agency Collaboration and
Complaints and Feedback.
The very nature of sexual violence tends to be disempowering and traumatising.
Professionals who develop and enhance their skills in each of the above domains will be well
placed to provide individualised, sensitive support to victim/survivors of sexual violence and
to assist them to regain power and recover from trauma experienced. From a victim/survivor
perspective, an advocate is trusted person who provides flexible, timely support, in the
words of one victim/survivor the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA), an advocate
“wasn‟t my counsellor so there wasn‟t that barrier between you as professional and client,
but I knew what her role was. I felt relaxed with her enough to say exactly what I wanted,
when I needed to…. whenever I was wound up like a spring, I‟d have a meeting with [the
ISVA] and she‟d unravel everything that was going through my mind and it was suddenly
OK” (Robinson, 2009, pg. 4).
As Robinson outlines advocates have or need to have
“the expertise and knowledge to provide practical advice and information in a holistic way
that covered all of the relevant systems, especially health, housing and the criminal justice
system….. Providing what victims required, depending on their individual circumstances,
was considered to be a defining feature of ISVAs‟ [advocate‟s] work,…the ISVA role was felt
to encompass whatever forms of advice, guidance, information and support that the victims
needed” (2009, pg. 27).
This review provides guidance about the skills required to undertake the challenging and
important work of advocacy with and for victim/survivors of sexual violence. It is hoped that
professionals are encouraged to pause and reflect on their advocacy responsibilities and/or
role and to consider the skills they need to develop, nurture and/or implement to improve
services and responses to victim/survivors.
Preface, context, terminology and the advocacy role
i Preface and background to the literature review
This literature review and research of skills required by those working in advocacy roles
within the Child Protection and Adult Sexual Violence sectors nationally and internationally
has been made possible with funding provided by the Australian Government: Department of
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under the
auspices of the National Framework for Protecting Australia‟s Children.
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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The review is part of the Advocacy Roles, Skills and Training Project (Project) aiming to
contribute to the second objective of the FaHCSIA Child Aware Approaches funding grants,
‘to improve or enhance the service response for children and young people experiencing,
exposed to or at risk of exposure to domestic/ family violence, mental illness and sexual
abuse, recognising that substance abuse issues may intersect with these risks.’ The Project
goals also align to the National Framework for Protecting Australia‟s Children, Outcome 6
which is: child sexual abuse and exploitation is prevented and survivors receive adequate
support.
The Target Groups for this Project include Australian government and non-government
agencies providing services to children, young people and/or adults who have experienced
sexual violence(historical and recent) and are interested in developing/enhancing an
advocate role within their current service provision.
The Project team is employed by Parkerville Children and Youth Care, a not for profit
organisation established in 1903 with nearly 110 years‟ experience in supporting vulnerable
children, young people and families. Services include out of home care, youth services,
therapeutic services, secondary family support services and the George Jones Child
Advocacy Centre, which opened in Armadale, Western Australian on 1st March, 2011.
ii Context in which this literature review and research was conducted
The development of the George Jones Child Advocacy Centre (GJCAC) in WA and provision
of victim/survivor advocacy services over the past 18 months is the backdrop against which
this review was authored. That is, rather than being neutral, this work has been influenced
by two years of service provision to children and their families and the subsequent feedback
from service users. This feedback is summarised in the first literature review of the Project
team Advocacy Roles with Victims/Survivors of Child and Adult Sexual Violence (Parkerville
Children and Youth Care, 2013a).
One of the roles of an advocate is to “do lobbying, policy research, and engage in other
types of policy change techniques” (DeVita & Mosher-Williams, 2001). The successful
application for funding to further develop the knowledge base, standards and training in this
area of advocacy and to improve advocacy service provision is an outcome of this role.
It is therefore acknowledged that the Project team is operating within a critical research
paradigm or framework “which abandons pretence at neutrality and is openly committed to
social change and reform” (McGlade, 2012, pg. 25). Being mindful of this bias has influenced
the authors to incorporate a peer review process from within the project team as well as
external to the team.
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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iii Terminology
The Project team have chosen to quote the definitions of terms and language used in the
National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (Australia 1998) National
Standards of Practice Manual for Services Against Sexual Violence (NSPMSASV) to be
consistent and because language used in this manual seeks to reflect the beliefs and values
articulated in the philosophical base of the National Association of Services against Sexual
Violence. It is used to communicate and contribute to an accurate understanding of sexual
violence and its impact on victim/survivors.
Within this context the keywords listed below are defined and explained to assist in
developing a better understanding and analysis of the issue of sexual violence.
“Advocacy
Acting and working within systems and agencies on behalf of individuals to ensure
that their rights are upheld and their needs met. Advocacy can be proactive in terms
of seeking out the full potential that a system may offer, as well as reactive in terms
of working against the potential for systems and agencies to further traumatise
victim/survivors.
Empowerment
A process through which service users may receive accurate information, control
over decision making, and experience belief and respect.
Offender/perpetrator
Description of the person responsible for committing the crime. The term criminalises
the action and also reinforces the innocence of the victim. Rapist may be used,
although this term does not apply for circumstances of sexual violence other than
rape.
Sexual Violence
A broad term used to describe sexual assault as a violation of human rights and a
crime against the individual and the community. It includes all forms of forced or
unwanted sexual activity ranging from sexual harassment, to rape with physical
violence and threat to life.
Whilst the individual State/Territory legal and criminal definitions of rape of adults and
children vary, services against sexual violence - albeit with individual differences
based on their respective mission statements - provide services to those who have
suffered any form of sexual violence, in recognition of the significant emotional, social
and political consequences of all forms of sexual violence.
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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Victims’ Rights Model
A service delivery model which acknowledges the importance of offering
“empowerment” to victim/survivors through the opportunity of exercising control over
decisions and regaining power as service users, individuals and as citizens, and one
which clearly defines the rights that service users have within a service.
Victim/survivor
“The term „victim‟ identifies and reinforces that the person has been a blameless
victim of a crime. Linked with the word „survivor‟, the term then emphasises the
capacity of people to recover from the trauma, and acknowledges the strengths and
abilities of people to „survive‟, as opposed to always being a victim, which may be
linked with stereotypes of helplessness”.
(Dean, Hardiman & Draper, 1998, pg. 49-51).
iv Advocacy Roles with Victims/Survivors of Child and Adult Sexual
Violence
This first literature review of the Project team, Parkerville Children and Youth Care (2013a)
researched Advocacy Roles with Victims/Survivors of Child and Adult Sexual Violence. The
review considered a few simple questions: what is victim/survivor advocacy? does advocacy
improve the experience of victim/survivors? and is it needed?
The literature review, inclusive of reports that capture the views of victim/survivors, found
they seek flexible and practical forms of assistance in the immediate aftermath of sexual
violence and that support, advocacy and information were their priority requirements. They
value advocacy services that are tailored to their individual needs, promote their safety and
recovery, prioritise support and empathy and improve collaborative interagency work
regardless of whether their „case‟ has a legal pathway. Advocacy roles were found to have
enhanced the work of multi-disciplinary or interagency teams, enabled service providers
such as police investigators to focus on their core duties (rather than also trying to support
the unsupported victim), decreased the attrition rates in justice systems (as victim/survivors
are better able to cope with the demands of the justice system) and have even led to
increased reporting to police (Parkerville Children and Youth Care, 2013a).
The Project team concluded that based on national and international research there is “an
urgent and long-standing need for broad based, victim/survivor focused, advocacy type roles
and positions to complement and enhance (rather than compete with or undermine) existing
justice, health and social-welfare services” (Parkerville Children and Youth Care, 2013a, pg.
7).
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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1 Introduction
This literature review focuses on the skills required by those working in advocacy roles, or
with advocacy responsibilities with victim/survivors of sexual violence and their families. The
definition, justification and benefits of an advocacy role are articulated in the previous
literature review of the Project team.
Sexual violence perpetrated on children, young people and adults creates many needs for
victims/survivors as well as for society at large. The very nature of sexual violence tends to
be disempowering and traumatising.
Despite reforms to the justice system in particular and to a lesser extent the child protection
system, victim/survivors often commonly fail to report sexual violence and those who do
often have negative and at times traumatising experiences from their dealings with these
systems.
Adding advocacy roles or enhancing advocacy responsibilities within existing positions
improves service responses for children, young people and adults and their families.
The role of an advocate is to support victims/survivors to navigate their way through the
justice, welfare and health systems, to help them get back on their feet, to be on their side
and to lobby for systemic change when indicated. It is a role which is highly valued by
victim/survivors and also professionals who work alongside and with advocates (Parkerville
Children and Youth Care, 2013a).
Schnieder and Lester identify the key dimensions of advocacy as:
“pleading or speaking on behalf of the disadvantaged, vulnerable, voiceless, and at risk;
representing another; taking action; promoting change; accessing rights and benefits;
serving as a supporter; demonstrating influence and political skills; securing social
justice; empowering clients; promoting self-advocacy and independence; showing
compassion and empathy; providing a degree of education/training; using a legal basis
or framework” (2001, pg. 59).
In articulating skills required by advocates within these roles it is hoped that individual
professionals will be clearer about their role or the dimensions of their role and the demands
upon them, and they will be able to identify professional development requirements and
support requirements from their employers.
These role dimensions or elements speak to the activities of advocates and hint at the skills
they require. Professionals who undertake advocacy roles with victim/survivors of sexual
violence skills require skills and knowledge bases such as those that relate to their
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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Profession (skills assumed to be a part of an individual‟s qualifications or capacity to work
with vulnerable children, young people and adults), the Context in which they work with
victim/survivors (Sexual Violence) and skills that relate to the advocacy Role (the dimensions
of Advocacy as above).
This review aims to focus specifically on the advocacy skills.
From a victim/survivor‟s
viewpoint the division of advocacy skills across three layers is not evident. What they should
experience is flexible and professionally tailored advocacy support from a skilled
professional who has additional context knowledge about sexual violence and the services
available to victim/survivors and their families.
2 Professional Skills
A profession is a “vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science”
(Dictionary, 2012). Development of vocational or professional knowledge, understanding and
skills occurs within tertiary education settings. Professionals desiring to work with children,
young people and adults who are vulnerable may choose to study a variety of courses
including community services social work, psychology, law, justice and health sciences.
These courses provide learning in foundational „people skills‟ including: communication
(verbal and non-verbal), engagement, emotional support, assessment, case formulation and
planning, documentation/record keeping and liaison/networking.
Completion of tertiary
education in a relevant field and student placements in work settings provides students and
new professionals with base line professional skills which they will continue to develop
throughout their careers.
For the purpose of this review it is assumed that people working in advocacy roles with
victim/survivors of sexual violence have pre-existing professional skills. This review will not
attempt to emulate the rationale or details of existing tertiary education courses aimed at skill
development of new professionals. Some key areas of professional knowledge and skills
will however be outlined.
It is acknowledged that some professionals may not have a tertiary qualification in a relevant
field and yet have been employed by an agency because of their life experience, personal
qualities or other relevant experience. Where this occurs an agency works with the staff
person to identify any gaps in their skill base that may require development and the
professional may be required to attend specifically designed training.
Vulnerable Children and Young People
Professionals working within child welfare services will have skills and knowledge that draw
heavily on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory of human development (Bronfenbrenner,
1979). Ecological systems theory places the wellbeing of children in the context of their
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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families and community and recognises the complex interplay of internal, individual or
biological factors, with external, social, environmental and relational factors (Garbarino,
1990). Professionals required skills in family-centred, strengths-based and capacity-building
approaches to service delivery as research indicates these positively influence both child
and family outcomes.
Sexual violence and victimisation of children occurs at a much higher rate than that of adults
with 67% of assaults being reported to have occurred to children and young people 0-17
years of age (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Therefore skills of professionals in
working with children and young people who have experienced harm and their families are
particularly important. Engaging and involving children and their families are base line
professional skills required to ensure participation of children in processes, systems and
decision making. As emphasised by Cashmore (2002) involvement of children can give
them a sense of being active participants in their own lives rather than reinforcing that they
are powerless victims at the whim of adults.
Professionals working with children, young people and their families will be cognisant that a
child‟s recovery will be enhanced by the support the child receives from their parent or family
and will work closely with families to enhance the parent‟s knowledge, skills and capacity to
support and to advocate for the child (Parkerville Children and Youth Care, 2013a). Grosz,
Kempe & Kelly (2000) found in their research that a “significant factor in recovery for child
victims was the parents‟ capacity to resolve their own distress and to support the child
victim”. They consider a family focused approach to intervention essential.
Research with children and young people now informs the work and skills development of
professionals. Children and young people are able to articulate well the skills they value in
professionals regardless of their role or context, skills that describe essentially good practice:

help us to feel comfortable, feel connected and know what to expect;

be accessible, listen and communicate openly and provide confidentiality;

be non-judgemental, recognise our achievements and

we value flexible and unique approaches, including use of technology.
(ReachOut n.d.)
Bell (2011) emphasises the importance of child participation in decision making in
professional services they receive and she describes in detail skills required in working with
children and young people and suggests these are a combination of personal and
professional skills. Personal skills come from being in tune with oneself when interacting
with others and include:
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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
availability - physically and emotionally;

attitude: treating children as individuals, with respect;

attunement: active listening and appropriate responses;

kindness: being supportive and companionable;

providing safe boundaries; and

awareness of one‟s own power.
Professional skills relate to the acknowledged formal relationship between the professional
and the child/young person and describe what can be expected of the professional:

continuity of relationship;

reliability and availability;

setting ground rules and forming written working agreements;

making all information accessible

promoting self-care skills;

proving concrete help;

being clear and honest;

offering genuine choice and distinctive options;

encouraging the child to direct the work;

Good, collaborative record keeping and storage
(Bell, 2011)
Development of a positive professional relationship with children and young people relies on
professionals utilising the above skills but is equally dependent on allowing time to build a
relationship, building trust and listening to children, taking them seriously and responding to
their wishes and feelings – even where these wishes cannot be fulfilled (De Boer
& Coady, 2007).
Cultural Competency
It is assumed professionals working with people who are vulnerable will also have
knowledge, understanding and skills in being culturally competent.
Being culturally
competent requires an individual to first understand their own culture, and the values, beliefs
and biases which have shaped that culture. Individual professionals must recognise how
their power is perceived and used, including race, gender, class, professional status, and
physical and mental state (Hovane, 2007).
Culturally competent professionals, in advocate and other roles will appreciate diversity and
provide appropriate responses to people with differences and similarities to their own culture.
Working competently with people from diverse backgrounds, particularly vulnerable, at risk
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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and marginalised people, requires continued individual reflection and skill development by
the professional.
Professionals need to be aware of how they work competently with others, including
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples1, refugee groups, people with mental illness,
children and young people (as discussed above), homeless people, people addicted to
alcohol or other drugs, those who have a disability, and gay, bi-sexual, lesbian, transgender
people. Furthermore professionals should be cognizant that discrimination has evolved and
tends to no longer be overt, but subtle, multi-layered, systemic, environmental and
institutionalized.
Discrimination is a unique experience of the individual based on the
intersection of factors they experience. This intersectional awareness recognises
“...categories of discrimination may overlap, and... individuals may suffer historical exclusion
on the basis of both race and gender, age and physical handicap, or some other
combination. The situation of individuals who confront multiple grounds of disadvantage is
particularly complex. Categorizing such discrimination as primarily racially oriented, or
primarily gender-oriented, misconceives the reality of discrimination as it is experienced by
individuals” (L‟Heureux-Dubé, 1993).
Trauma Informed Approaches
It has been recognised across many sectors including child protection, domestic violence,
mental health and housing support that understanding trauma and its impact is essential to
providing quality community, health and welfare services.
Professionals working in
programmes that serve trauma survivors are expected to be “trauma-informed” and have
skills to respond empathically to the needs of trauma survivors, ensure their physical and
emotional safety, develop realistic goals, and at the very least avoid re-traumatization. Many
programmes are now provided through the lens of trauma.
Examples include the
Department of Human Services Children and their families, Best interests casepractice
model, Specialist practice resource (2012 Australia) and the National Center on Family
Homelessness, Trauma Informed Care (n.d. USA).
Trauma, historical and current, experienced by individuals and families, impacts on how they
cope on a daily basis, how they respond to any new trauma and stress and also how they
perceive and interact with professionals, agencies and systems.
“Often these families have experienced on-going trauma throughout their lives in the form of
childhood abuse and neglect, domestic violence, community violence, and the trauma
associated with poverty and the loss of home, safety and sense of security. These
1
The term „Aboriginal‟ will refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the rest of these
Standards
Literature Review: Advocacy Skills
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experiences have a significant impact on how people think, feel, behave, relate to others,
and cope with future experiences. Families have learned to adapt to these traumatic
circumstances in order to survive, but their ways of coping may seem confusing and out-ofplace in their current circumstances” (Guarino, et. al., 2009).
3 Context Skills
Context skills relate to the context in which professionals in advocacy roles are working.
These are the distinguishing features between advocates who work with the elderly, people
with disabilities, mental health issues, parents of children who have been removed by
authorities or victims of sexual violence. Core elements remain – professional skills such as
those outlined previously (people skills, working with vulnerable groups, communication
skills, trauma informed and cultural competency) however context skills are also required
and relate largely to the needs of the presenting issues of the identified group of people and
the system of services that are available to them.
An example of context specific skills and training is the Office of Victims of Crime, US
Department of Justice, which provides an online victim advocacy training program
specifically for professionals working with victims of crime. The training topics include:

Characteristics, prevalence and other information about 14 types of crimes

Core skills needed by victim service providers, such as establishing rapport, problem
solving and crisis intervention

Information about specific topics and skills needed to provide services to specific
populations

Information about and skills needed to collaborate with various types of systems,
such as community-based, criminal justice-based faith-based, and reservation-based
systems

Challenging situations faced by victim service providers
(US Department of Justice, 2012)
Sexual Violence Context
A professional with an advocacy role working with victims of crime, or specifically
victims/survivors of sexual violence requires context knowledge and skills related to the
characteristics and prevalence of sexual violence, the impact of trauma, collaborating with
professionals within the justice, health, police, child protection and mental health systems,
and skills related to challenging situations faced by victim/survivors of sexual violence as
well as their service providers.
Professionals or advocates within the sexual violence sector will be based within
organisations which recognise that sexual violence and sexual abuse have multiple and
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complex causes and consequences involving psychological, physical, social and economic
factors.
These organisations and staff will be informed by gender-based violence and
human rights knowledge bases. Victims of crime have Human Rights under the United
Nations Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
(United Nations, 1985) and some have additional rights under Human Rights declarations for
Indigenous people and for Children (United Nations, 1989). These human rights have been
incorporated into legislation within some Australian states. At a minimum all victims have the
right to be informed of the availability of health, social services, justice and other relevant
assistance, and rights to participate in decision making that affects them. Professionals who
provide services to victim/survivors have a responsibility to develop skills that are sensitive
to the needs of victim/survivors (Parkerville Children and Youth Care, 2013a).
In their 2004 study, Lovett, Regan & Kelly noted that victim/survivors wanted a „more flexible
and practical form of support‟ in the immediate aftermath of sexual violence, and that
support, advocacy and information were their priority requirements‟ (2004 pg. 74). Even
though an advocate works within specific contexts (sexual violence/victims of crime) support
or advocacy services may not be limited to the presenting issue of sexual violence or
resultant trauma. Advocates in partnership with the victim/survivor will develop a plan that
identifies the strengths, wishes, needs of and risks for the victim/survivor and plan a flexible
response including links to other appropriate services. This may include facilitating the
provision of advice and support across a wide range of issues, such as housing, health and
education that will help to support the victim in the aftermath of the violence.
Robinson‟s evaluation of the Independent Sexual Violence Advisory (ISVA) role in the UK
outlines the typical support and proactive assistance provided to victim/survivors of sexual
violence in the UK. The main responsibilities of ISVAs consistently includes: „providing crisis
intervention and non-therapeutic support from time of referral; giving information and
assistance through the criminal justice process if requested/required; providing other types
of practical help and advice; and working with partner agencies to ensure coordinated
service planning on behalf of individual victims‟ (2009).
The National Occupancy Standards for ISVAs developed in the UK specify standards for
service provision for ISVAs. These standards speak to the skills required by ISVAs or
advocates who work in the context of sexual violence
1. Address callers regarding sexual violence with sensitivity
2. Establish and address requirement from callers regarding sexual violence
3. Communicate and engage with victim/survivors of sexual violence
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4. Carry out an assessment to identify the needs of and risks to victim/survivors of
sexual violence
5. Advocate on behalf of victim/survivors of sexual violence
6. Support victim/survivors of sexual violence through the court process
7. Support victim/survivors of sexual violence to provide evidence
8. Work in partnership with agencies to address sexual violence
(United Kingdom Council for Employment and Skills, n.d.)
For an example of a sample job description that articulates key responsibilities of an ISVA to
meet the National Occupancy Standards see the example provided by the Survivors Trust
UK in Appendix 1. This sample job description also identifies skills required by an ISVA.
ISVAs and other professionals who work with victim/survivors of sexual violence also work
within a trauma informed context as mentioned previously. In this context trauma-informed
services are those in which service delivery is influenced by an understanding of the impact
of interpersonal violence and victimization on an individual‟s life and development (Elliot, et
al., 2005, pg. 471).
Working in a trauma-informed context allows victims/survivors to be seen as the experts in
their own lives and to maximise choice and control over their own recovery.
The
professional works with the victim/survivor in an empowering way helping the victim/survivor
to recognise and make use of their strengths, emphasising skill building and problemsolving.
Cox (2008), Cashmore (2002), Elliot et al., (2005), Robinson (2009) and Stern (2010) each
emphasize the importance of responses for victims/survivors of sexual violence or harm
being informed and or driven by the victim/survivor. An advocate‟s role is to support the
victim/survivor to have information, make informed choices, to participate in decision making
and to advocate for themselves as much as possible. The advocate in the sexual violence
context is required to discern and assess the victim/survivor‟s current situation, level of
informal supports, other complex issues and the impact of the violence and trauma itself.
Working in a respectful and empowering way with the victim/survivor and their family, the
advocate will be clearer about the level of support and advocacy required by each individual
victim/survivor.
Child Protection
Another area of skill development for professionals based on context is for those working
with children and young people and their families in the sexual violence/child protection area.
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Historically criminal justice systems were designed for adults, and they can be confusing and
frightening for children.
Furthermore, sexual violence against children involves child
protection authorities who are mandated to assess the safety and wellbeing of children.
Supporting children in the context of child protection and criminal investigations is a unique
area of work. Children and families have a host of concerns and needs during the
assessment and investigation processes as well as potentially across other systems such as
health, education and family support.
Skills and knowledge required by professionals working with children and young people in
this context include the dynamics of child abuse, impact of trauma on a child, the rights of
children and supporting non offending family members. The National Children‟s Advocacy
Center USA provides Family and Victim Advocacy training which focuses on skills
development of professionals in this context, topics include: dynamics of non-offending
caregivers; working with the multidisciplinary investigative team; rapport building and
bonding with clients; implementing a support group for caregivers; accessing community
services and tools and techniques for intervening with caregivers (National Children‟s
Advocacy Centre, n.d.).
4 Role Skills
When a professional is working in an advocate role, or is seeking to be clear about the
advocacy component of their role (such as counsellor/advocates) it is important for the
professional to reflect on and develop their knowledge and understanding of advocacy and
types of advocacy and how these differ from other components of their role, previous roles
they have held, and/or the roles or services provided by others.
Advocacy exists across many domains including supporting the elderly, people with
disabilities or mental health issues, family and domestic violence, and housing and for
children in out of home care. Understanding the reasons why these individuals and groups
require advocacy is related to the specific issues and context (as discussed previously),
however universally
“advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights,
represent their interests and obtain services they need. Advocates and advocacy
schemes work in partnership with the people they support and take their side.
Advocacy promotes social inclusion, equality and social justice.”
(Advocacy for Action, 2004)
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People receiving advocacy services need to be clear about the Advocate‟s role, therefore an
Advocate needs to be able to explain their role well. Other agencies and professionals that
may also be working with the person or „client‟ must also understand the Advocate‟s role.
An Advocates role must have role legitimacy, role clarity and role boundaries in order to
avoid duplication, gaps, or confusion for anyone but most particularly the person receiving
the advocacy service. All domains of the role need to be clear and the clarity of role will also
allow for the identification of skills required by the advocate within the role. These role
domains and skills are often included in job description forms, organisational standards, role
titles and training modules (see example of a job description in Appendix 1).
An Advocate‟s role may not only include services to be provided directly to individuals and
families, but on behalf of them within service systems, Robinson in her evaluation of the
ISVA role in the UK found the main responsibilities of these advisors/advocates could be
grouped in three areas:
“Advice and support: providing crisis intervention and non-therapeutic support to
victims; providing other types of practical help and advice;
Supporting victims through the CJS [Criminal Justice System]: giving information and
assistance through the criminal justice process as requested/required; and,
Multi-agency partnership working: liaising with partner agencies in a multi-agency
context, providing „institutional advocacy” (2009).
It is clear for the ISVA that multiagency partnership working is a key area of work and it has
proven to be a role valued widely across the sexual violence sector in the UK.
In his book, Advocacy and Social Work Practice, Wilks (2012) discusses specific skills
related to advocacy, that if not existing within a professional‟s current skill set, need to be
developed in recognition of the particular dimensions of an advocate role. These skills
include: crisis management; information gathering; negotiation and assertiveness;
presenting a case; working with groups; and empowerment. These role skills exist in
partnership with or complement the existing professional skills of the advocate.
In the guide for advocates who work with children and young people with learning
disabilities, Speaking out (n.d.), the authors note that children and young people say it is not
enough to simply be an advocate; you need to be a good one. Children and young people
have described the skills they believe are important in good advocates, which include being:

able to get to know the child and young person well

a good listener and able to understand

good at communication and easy to understand
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
polite and easy to get on with and

neutral and independent.
In the words of these children and young people “sometimes you need an advocate to help
you be involved” and “there can be a conflict of interest when the advocate is not
independent. They might water down their views and comments because they don‟t want to
upset their employer.” (NSPCC, n.d., pg. 9-10). Role clarity and any role limitations (such as
the extent of an advocate‟s independence) need to be clear to all.
Lindley & Richards (2002) articulate the skills required of advocates and specifically skills
related to an advocate role:

equality of service provision for all families

identifying and challenging any form of discrimination, for example on grounds of
race, ethnicity, gender and disability;

ability to manage conflict;

confident, assertive communication and negotiation skills

a diplomatic and constructive manner;

an ability to be objective, independent and client focused.
They go on to provide insight into the training and supervision required of advocates and the
responsibilities of agencies that employ advocates for parents who have had their children
removed by child protection authorities in the UK.
Advocacy skills have been identified as a distinct area of skills development within tertiary
institutions and training areas (often linked to context). An example of a tertiary course
design for those working in advocacy roles is the CHC41012 Certificate IV in Community
Services Advocacy, Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations (2012). This course contains nine core units and six electives.
Suggested electives have been packaged to reflect work with people in; tenant advice, social
housing, alcohol and drug issues, mental health issues, disabilities, settlement (migrant)
work and child protection. While child protection includes elements of sexual violence, there
are no core units or electives in this course which deals specifically with sexual violence.
Bateman argues that advocacy skills are crucial to social work practice in general as “social
workers devote considerable time and energy to fighting for resources for service users in a
wide range of ways and ensuring that their voices are heard, and need skills in order to do
this successfully” (2000, pg. 185).
Types of Advocacy
Professional advocacy is characterised by a specific role in an agency paid to provide
services to people, it is distinct from citizen advocacy (volunteer advocates), self-advocacy
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(an individual expressing their own needs, concerns or views), peer advocacy (the advocate
has experienced or is experiencing similar difficulties to the person they are supporting) and
legal advocacy (when a solicitor or lawyer works on someone‟s behalf) (Devon City Council,
n.d.)
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) first highlighted the need for advocacy for
children and young people within legal systems in 1997. The ARLC described a number of
types of advocacy functions, including advocacy for individuals within systems. The ARLC
also clearly outlined a systems advocacy function, that is, advocacy for change in and
across systems:

“promoting the interests of children generally to ensure government and agency
accountability

monitoring compliance with international obligations

scrutiny of legislation, programs and initiatives

conducting and/or co-ordinating research to promote best practice in relation to
children

resolving complaints and conducting inquiries into individual concerns

supporting and assisting particular children to access services or obtain redress for
complaints and problems

encouraging the development of structures to enable children and young people to
be active participants in the decision making processes affecting their lives” (ALRC,
1997, 7.3).
Professionals working within advocate roles will have differing levels of systems advocacy
responsibilities depending on their agency, role design, independence, time and resources.
Skills and strategies related to systems advocacy are articulated by the Advocacy Institute of
Western Australia and include community education, influencing policy, lobbying politicians,
mobilising groups, creating debate, media campaigns, and developing partnerships (Stafford
et al., 2009).
Victims/Survivors Views
What victim/survivors seek from the service system or an advocate in particular is not as
complex as articulating professional, role or context skills.
In the simplest terms
victim/survivors seek to be treated with honesty and respect by all professionals they meet.
What the victim/survivor values from professionals is to have access to services, informed
choices, confidence in the expertise of the professional, timely, independent support and to
have contact with professionals involved in their „case‟. Advocates working with
victims/survivors of sexual violence (child, young person or adult) provide a consistent
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supportive relationship to the victim/survivor assisting them to have these needs met. What
the victim/survivor values from an advocate/advisor can be visually outlined below:
accessibility
to services
closure
honesty
Victim/
Survivor
informed
choices
contact
timely
independent
support
expertise &
confidence
(adapted from Gee, 2012)
Robinson found when interviewing victim/survivors for her evaluation study on ISVAs that
victim/survivors were more likely to comment on the style of the ISVA (approachable,
friendly, non-judgemental) and frequency of their contact throughout the professional
relationship, rather than simply at first contact after the sexual violence (2009, pg. 25).
Interpersonal skills, honesty, availability and contact make for valued support. The ability of
ISVAs to tailor the method of contact to suit the individual victim/survivor‟s preference, just
like their ability to meet the individual needs of victims in terms of the services they require,
is a key benefit of an advisor/advocate role, regardless of the setting.
Advocacy Specific Role vs. Advocacy in role
As outlined previously Advocacy is not only the domain of full-time professionals employed
specifically in an advocate role.
Similarly, advocacy may be part of the role of other
professionals working with the same victim/survivor. Professionals have a duty to advocate
for the victim/survivor in the context in which they work such as in the health setting, police
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force, court setting, or counseling service. When well-managed, overlap between service
providers affords opportunities for collaboration over common goals.
When not well
managed,
multidisciplinary
misunderstandings
can
interfere
with
interagency
and
coordination. Functional interagency and multidisciplinary team work has been positively
correlated with improved outcomes and satisfaction for victim/survivors. Coordination
between agencies and disciplines, and discussion about potential role overlap, advocacy
issues themselves and clarity for the victim/survivor is important.
Advocate Role
Independence
Accessbility
Counsellor Role
Consistency
Past Trauma
Wellbeing
advocacy
Recent Trauma
Choices
Recovery
Participation
advocacy
advocacy
Justice/Protection Roles
Investigation/Police
Safety/Child Protection
Prosecution
Court Support
In order to focus specifically on professionals working in advocacy roles in the sexual
violence sector and to draw together professional skills, context and role skills outlined in this
review, the Project Team have developed nine Advocacy Domains which articulate role
functions, and skills required. These nine domains are designed to complement other key
areas of knowledge and skill required by those working in the area of sexual violence such
as: working with vulnerable children and young people; cultural competency; trauma
informed practice; sexual violence and child protection contexts.
The Advocacy Role
Domains (within which skills of advocacy are clearly articulated) are:

Being Accessible

Client Led

Empowering

Independent
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
Emotional and Practical Support

Informed Decision Making

Criminal Justice Supports

Multi-agency collaboration and

Complaints and Feedback.
The Advocacy Domains document (See Appendix 2) compliments the Advocacy Standards
for Working with Children Young People and Adults who have Experienced Sexual Violence
also developed by the Project team (Parkerville Children and Youth Care, 2013b). The
Advocacy Domains and the Standards will be utilised to inform the development of training
for professionals working in advocacy roles in the sexual violence sector.
5 Conclusion
The very nature of sexual violence tends to be disempowering and traumatising for
victim/survivors. Victims/survivors of sexual violence are entitled to sensitive, professional
services from all service providers they come in contact with.
Each professional is
potentially an advocate for the victim/survivor with their agency or system. Core advocacy
domains and skill sets need to be developed by those with advocacy responsibilities.
Professionals who identify, develop and enhance their advocacy skills will be well placed to
provide individualised, sensitive support to victim/survivors of sexual violence and to assist
them to regain power and recover from trauma experienced.
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Bateman, N. (2000) Advocacy Skills for Health and Social Care Professional. London
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Guarino, K., Soares, P., Konnath, K., Clervil, R., & Bassuk, E. (2009). Trauma-Informed
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Parkerville Children and Youth Care (2013b) Advocacy Standards for Working with Children
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Appendix 1:
Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA)
Sample Job Description
Provided by the Survivors Trust U.K.
www.thesurvivorstrust.org
Key Areas of responsibility:






Managing a caseload of children and young people who have experienced sexual
abuse and/or rape; undertaking a risk assessment/needs analysis and support
planning
Ensuring that the child or young person‟s voice/wishes/feelings are considered
throughout all processes, CJS, CP etc
Providing support to non-abusing members of family and friends
Participation (as appropriate) in case conferences with the Police, CPS, and
prosecuting barrister, Social Services, YSIP, YOP and NACRO, MARAC etc
Working with agencies and professionals to train and/or raise awareness of the
issues and promote partnership working
Developing links with local schools/colleges/community settings to promote the
service to children and young people
Skills needed for this role:









You must have relevant direct experience of working with Children and Young
People
You will have a good general standard of education, with a qualification in working
specifically with C&YP
You will, ideally, already be an accredited ISVA (either by TST or CAADA)
You must be able to demonstrate knowledge of issues that affect victims/survivors of
sexual abuse/sexual violence/rape
Experience of undertaking needs and risk assessment and safety planning is
essential
You will have direct experience of working in a multi-agency environment, and
experience of working within a legislative framework eg Safeguarding Children,
Safeguarding Vulnerable People etc
You will be confident and assertive, with clear speech
You will demonstrate commitment to the work and philosophy of supporting
victims/survivors of sexual abuse/sexual violence/rape and to the philosophy of your
HOST agency
You must be a driver with easy access to a vehicle
Benefits
This agency has a firm commitment to your training and development
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Appendix 2: Advocacy Domains Document
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