“I believe you.”
These three words are the foundation of Hiya’s work. Hiya is a Victim Support Worker at Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV). Her clients are child and youth survivors of violence. For these young people, Hiya provides a steady, reliable source of belief: in them and in their experiences.
For survivors, “I believe you” means someone is on their side. It’s as simple as it is powerful. And it’s just the beginning.
Victim Support Services at FSGV
Hiya and the other Victim Support Workers (VSWs) at FSGV provide emotional support, safety planning, assistance navigating the justice system, connections to other resources, and so much more along the way. The VSWs at FSGV are with each victim and survivor for an average of four years. It starts with building a foundation of trust and rapport, a process that sometimes takes months of steady check-ins, showing up reliably again and again.
Connecting people to resources changes from case to case, and it can vary greatly depending on the age of the survivor. For children and youth, it can look like helping them identify and apply for scholarships and grants for schooling and activities or find counselling supports, including SAIP at FSGV.
Navigating the justice system with a client is far from straightforward, maybe espeically so for young victims. Not all clients want to press charges and VSWs like Hiya advocate for young people to protect their right to choose. The choice is always theirs. When young people do press charges, outcomes at court are not always what they hope for. Regardless of what the court decides, Hiya is there with emotional support and her steady belief.
One Youth’s Story
Hiya shared the story of one young person she has supported. Caro* courageously came forward to tell the truth about the abuse she was experiencing. In part, she wanted to protect her younger siblings. What unfolded in the wake of her courage changed the course of her family’s future.
Caro, her mother, and her siblings now have their own home, where everyone is safe. In that home, things are noticably lighter, something the whole family can feel. Hiya shares, “the younger kids tell the mom and the girl I worked with that they didn’t realize how much they were restricted before, but now they don’t feel as much pressure. These kids are growing up in a completely different environment.” The impact of violence at home extends to even the members of the family who aren’t directly being abused; witnessing violence is a form of experiencing violence.
Unfortunately, despite choosing to press charges, Caro’s case didn’t get the result at court that they had wished for. This came as a blow, but Caro knew she wasn’t alone. Hiya’s support had been steady, affirmative, and validating all along and it didn’t vanish with the court’s decision. Hiya explains, “They told me they really felt like I was on their side. Not that it’s not disappointing, or devastating, but it does make a difference when you treat what they say with the most honour regardless of what the court rules.” They had been working together for years and Caro’s sense of moving forward wasn’t dependent on what the court said. Her sense of justice was in building a life away from and undefined by her abuser—and she has that. Hiya says that she’s seen how Caro coming forward “singlehandedly, completely changed the trajectory of her and her family’s life.” She’s more confident and relaxed, laughs more, has taken up new hobbies, and has big plans for herself.
It Begins with “I Believe You”
Like all survivors, the changes in Caro are not something that Hiya, or anyone else, did for her. That kind of empowerment comes from within. But even honeybees need flowers to make honey, and there’s no doubt that Hiya’s unflinching, dependable belief and support helped create the safety that gave Caro the confidence to dream of and build a brighter future.
It begins with “I believe you,” but wherever the next steps take them, FSGV is here with survivors every step of the way.
*Name and details changed for privacy and anonymity.