Access and Equity of Legal Support Services for Racialized Survivors of Sexual Violence

Abstract

Existing research reveals that survivors of sexual violence (SSV) face barriers in reporting sexual assault, such as fear of the criminal justice process. These barriers are more complex for racialized SSV, whose unique needs and experiences may differ from White SSV. In order to increase accessibility of legal support for SSV, a project offering free legal services in Canada was developed to support survivors by providing them with the legal information necessary to make informed decisions about reporting. One of the primary goals of the project was to tailor services to racialized SSV in order to ensure equitable access to justice for this population. This paper presents the outcomes of these efforts from multiple stakeholders involved in the project’s implementation. Our findings reveal important considerations for what constitutes justice for racialized SSV, and the importance of centering them in the design and implementation of support services.

Keywords:

• Adult survivors
• criminal justice system
• legal service
• racialized identity
• sexual violence

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Notes

1 The larger program evaluation sought to evaluate the pertinence, coherence and efficacy of the pilot project for all SSV.