WOAR has no authority to either cause an offender to be prosecuted or to cause a case to be withdrawn or discharged. Our court advocates are not lawyers – we are here to provide support and information for survivors of sexual assault in the criminal justice system. Our advocates can assist survivors who choose to report sexual assaults by helping them to contact the appropriate authorities, by facilitating contact between survivors and the criminal justice system, and by accompanying them throughout the court process. However, it is up to the police to arrest perpetrators and the District Attorney’s office to prosecute them, and WOAR has no control over whether or not a case goes forward or the outcome of that case.