Rape Victim Impact Assessments

The Rape Victim Impact Assessment (RVIA) tool is one of the outputs from Operation Soteria, embedding procedural justice for victim-survivors into police responses to sexual violence, and forms part of the new National operating model (NOM) for the police investigation of serious sexual offences.

The RVIA is aimed at embedding victims’ rights and interests into the development of policing policy. The tool provides a systematic process for police forces to carefully consider how the rights and interests of victims of sexual violence may be impacted by proposed changes to policies. It was first developed by drawing on the experience of impact assessment in other fields and published as part of the NOM in September 2023. It was then tested with police forces and the materials refined on the basis of their experiences. The revised tool (a form, accompanying guidance and a summary) is available as supplementary material to this journal article about the RVIA. 

Police forces across England and Wales are now using the tool as they develop policies, procedures and practices relevant to the rights and interests of victims of rape and serious sexual offences.

The RVIA work was led by SCCJR academics Dr Ruth Friskney and Dr Kelly Johnson working with Professor Clare McGlynn (Durham University).

For more information, you can:

• Read the briefing paper Rape Victim Impact Assessments: what they are and why we need them.
• Read the journal article about why and how the RVIA tool was developed.
• Access the revised RVIA form, guidance and summary.