Independent domestic violence adviser (IDVA)

A trained specialist who provides a service to victims at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners, or family members, with the aim of securing their, and their children’s, safety. They are also known as independent domestic violence advocates and serve as a victim’s primary point of contact.

They can be accessed in several ways:

• through referral by the police;
• self-referral; or
• by local authority services to specialist organisations working to stop domestic abuse.

The advisers work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk, discuss the range of suitable options and develop safety plans. The IDVAs can work within a multi-agency framework to provide additional support to their clients.

Back to Glossary