Mission: We empower and support survivors as they navigate complex legal processes.
Legal Advocacy services are available to survivors at no cost in addition to or independent of clinical and crisis services.
The Legal Advocacy Department can:
Support – Advocates can go with a survivor to court, law enforcement interviews, meetings with prosecutors, forensic interviews, or any other type of event that takes place in a legal system because of a sexual assault. We can also make efforts to get case updates from prosecutor offices or law enforcement.
Inform – If a survivor has general questions about the criminal justice system, what to expect when involved in a legal system, or other information on reporting an assault, we can provide answers and assistance to address these concerns.
Refer – Sometimes survivors may experience legal issues because of a sexual assault. This could include questions about victim rights, filing a civil suit, education rights (or Title IX proceedings), employment, protective orders, or other concerns. Pathways does not provide direct representation, but we can help to identify these issues, and when appropriate – connect survivors with legal services or referrals to address these needs.
Connect – Pathways to Healing values relationships with law enforcement, prosecutors, legal agencies in the community, services providers, military programs, and others who play an integral role in cases where survivors are involved. If you are an organization in our service area who would like to connect with the legal advocacy department and the services we offer, please contact our office at 803-790-8208.
Statement on Collaboration with Law Enforcement
Pathways to Healing respects the decision of adult survivors when considering whether or not to report an assault to law enforcement.* However, it is common for survivors who come to Pathways for services to already be involved in cases that are being investigated by law enforcement. Our agency values strong working relationships with police and sheriff’s departments to support survivors through these cases. Better relationships with law enforcement agencies help us to provide survivors with better information and better services. Pathways to Healing also conducts trauma-informed training for law enforcement agencies and provides on-site crisis services for victims in criminal cases.
*Certain individuals in our office are mandated reporters. While services with the legal advocacy team are confidential, we cannot guarantee that if neglect or abuse of a child or vulnerable adult or suicidal/homicidal ideation is disclosed by a client to others in our agency that it will not be reported to proper authorities. If you have questions about this, please ask our legal advocacy team.
