In the framework of the CERN-RD50 Collaboration, the adoption of p-type substrates has been proposed as a suitable approach to optimize the long-term radiation hardness of silicon detectors. In this work, we present a numerical model for the simulation of radiation damage effects in p-type silicon, developed within the general-purpose device simulator DESSIS. The model includes radiation-induced deep-level recombination centers in the semiconductor band-gap and the Shockley–Read–Hall statistics. In particular, two deep-level defects have been introduced: one located at EC− 0.42 eV, corresponding to a single charge state divacancy and a second one located at EC− 0.46 eV, corresponding to a single charge state tri-vacancy. For simulation purposes we have considered a simple, two-dimensional test structure, consisting of a single diode of 40 μm width and 300 μm depth …