Podcast summary
Episode 5 in conversation with Beth Candler from Safeline
Beth is a person-centred therapist at Safeline. Her main work is as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, or ISVA.
Beth describes her role as an ISVA and the sources of referrals.
Beth talks us through the process of reporting to the police, if a person decides to do that. She talks about the different forks in the road along the way to a possible criminal trial. This begins with a video interview with the police, who then investigate the case. The case may then go forward to the Crown Prosecution Service. This may lead to a person being charged, with an appearance at Magistrates Court. The case would then likely go to a trial by jury at Crown Court.
Janet talks about her experiences of reporting to the police and whether she has regrets about doing that. Janet has written about this in Part three of My Story and in her blog, “Reporting to the police“. Beth talks about the more responsive attitude of the police these days.
Janet talks about breaking the silence and how reporting has helped her own healing and recovery.
Beth describes how she supports a person who is trying to decide whether to report or not.
Janet describes having “pre-trial” counselling from Safeline while she was doing the police interviews in 2015.
Beth talks about how she copes with hearing people’s traumatic stories.
The journey to recovery from child sexual abuse is long and painful. However you choose to find support and help on that journey, it is worth it. There is hope for recovery.
Thank you for listening.
