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This guide is intended to support rape crisis centers (RCCs) and other victim service providers in building relationships with local jails in order to provide incarcerated individuals access to sexual abuse services. On any given day, there are more than 600,000 people held in U.S. jails – typically with limited access to programming and emotional support services. This guide will help RCCs initiate contact with the appropriate officials to get a program started and to maintain emotional support services for people in their local jail’s custody.

A series of four case studies of victim advocacy organizations that received technical assistance through the project’s coaching program. All four coaching sites sought support to set up services to support incarcerated survivors. The case studies highlight the support JDI provided to each organization and the outcomes for each and their progress towards the goal of serving incarcerated survivors.

Checklist for victim advocates to self-assess whether or not they are ready to serve incarcerated survivors of sexual abuse. The assessment allows victim advocates to identify their strengths in understanding the needs of incarcerated survivors, as well as areas for growth.

Attorneys for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking can develop trust and rapport with LGBTQ+ survivors and build more effective cases by engaging in trauma-informed, LGBTQ+-responsive legal intakes.

Intake is often the first conversation that a survivor has with their attorney. It requires that the survivor share intimate details about difficult, traumatic experiences they have had. Intake is a means not only to get the needed information to represent the client, but an opportunity to help the client feel comfortable working with their attorney.

This tip sheet offers information on building trusting attorney-client relationships with LGBTQ+ survivors through legal intake.