Advocacy programs are a critical part of any community response. As is the case in responding to victims of sexual violence and it is critical that advocates responding to victims of sexual violence in a non-judgmental and supportive manner.

This area provides information and tools to assist individuals and their collective(s) working to end sexual violence through public policy and systems change. Public policy includes the National, county and local laws that impact victims and survivors of sexual violence and address prevention strategies, the configuration and operation of agencies and systems that respond to and prevent sexual violence, policies and protocols, and funding for the provision of services to victims and survivors.

Systems advocacy is the tool that advocates and other professionals use to ensure the rights and needs of victims of sexual violence as they negotiate systems on their journey toward healing and also to ensure that systems are working to address the prevention of sexual violence. Activities carried out to achieve this are as follows: –

1. Area profiling
2. Engaging political and opinion leaders in allocating budgets for service provision
3. Mapping and enforcement of existing laws/policies
4. Holding meetings and forums
5. Engaging media houses and corporate organizations for behavior change