Pre-trial therapy
About our pre-trial therapy service
Pre-trial therapy is a crucial way to help victims and witnesses who choose to pursue a prosecution to feel supported during the criminal justice process.
At Safety Net, we understand how tough and potentially re-traumatising criminal proceedings can be. We provide pre-trial therapy that considers what you've been through and provides practical support to help you manage the effects of any potential re-traumatisation. This can still occur even if you have a court case coming up which requires us to be mindful of the potential for new evidence to surface during the therapy process. Our aim at Safety Net is to offer full support to help people feel part of their community again and become stronger after facing domestic or sexual abuse.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - the organisation responsible for prosecuting criminal cases that the police have investigated - updated their Pre-Trial Guidance for Prosecutors in December 2022. This highlights how important it is for therapy to continue without interruption, even if a trial is taking place. They've made it clear that therapy notes can only be seen by the police or prosecution in very specific cases, to keep the trial fair. We keep note-taking to a minimum during therapy to protect your privacy. Notes are shared only if absolutely necessary and with your agreement, except in cases where it's needed to protect someone's safety, always following data protection laws closely.
While we provide emotional support and advice, including help with going to court, we work with Victim Support in Cumbria for specialised Independent Sexual Violence Advisor services. An ISVA helps by offering both practical help and emotional support, including going with you to court. They are there for you through the whole court process, making sure you have one person to talk to. They also keep in touch with the prosecutors and police to keep you updated. This support is all about ensuring you have the best help and understanding as you go through the trial, helping you on your journey to recovery.
Talk to someone who understands
““Safety Net literally saved my life. I am now on the waiting list for counselling. I would like to volunteer with Safety Net in the future.”
— D*, adult service user