Medical and Legal Advocacy

Trained advocates are available to provide support and assistance through medical, reporting and legal procedures. We can help at medical facilities, police departments, universities and other institutions. Our advocates can also provide assistance with "no contact" orders, criminal and civil court cases, or other legal processes.

Advocates offer information, emotional support, and help finding resources and filling out paperwork. Sometimes, advocates go to court with our survivors.

Advocates may also contact organizations, such as criminal justice or social service agencies, to get help or information for survivors. Some advocates staff crisis hotlines, run support groups, or provide in-person counseling.

Advocates' responsibilities vary depending on their job description and where they work. Typically, the role of an advocate may include:

• Providing information on victimization

• Providing information on crime prevention

• Providing information on legal rights and protections

• Providing information on the criminal justice process

• Providing emotional support

• Helping with safety planning

• Helping with victim compensation applications

• Helping submit comments to courts and parole boards

• Intervening with creditors, landlords, and employers

• Helping find shelter and transportation

• Providing referrals for other services

• Notifying survivors of inmates' release or escape



Advocates work in many different locations. Some serve in the criminal justice system (in police stations, prosecutor's offices, courts, probation or parole departments, or prisons). They may also be part of private nonprofit organizations such as sexual assault crisis centers or domestic violence programs. Some advocates are paid staff, and others are volunteers. Many advocates have academic degrees that prepare them to work with survivors They may have studied social work, criminal justice, education, or psychology. Advocates often receive significant additional training on the specific knowledge and skills they need on the job.

Advocates offer information about the different options available and support survivor's decision-making. Advocates do not tell survivors what to do.

Advocates are committed to maintaining the highest possible levels of confidentiality in their communications with survivors. However, the level of confidentiality they can observe depends on their position, education, licensure, and the laws in each state.

An advocate in a police department may have to share any information related to an investigation with officers. Yet an advocate at a domestic violence program may be able to keep most clients' confidences private.

All advocates must report certain types of information to the authorities. For example, they have to report any type of threat to a person (such as clients threatening to hurt themselves or someone else) and they have to report the abuse or neglect of children.