First UK maternity clinic for rape and sexual assault victims opens

The first UK maternity clinic offering specialist support to victims of rape and sexual assault has opened.

The My Body Back maternity clinic at the Royal London Hospital will provide clinical and psychological support as well as mental health advice.

Co-run by Barts Health NHS Trust in London, the scheme has been developed in response to comments made by rape survivors who said they experienced flashbacks of the attack - sometimes years later - undergoing routine maternity tests and from the loss of control during labour.

The clinic offers antenatal classes and breastfeeding advice specifically designed for women who have experienced sexual attacks. Women will also be offered specialist gynaecological exams and mental health support after labour.

Women who are not yet pregnant can also access pre-conceptual care.

In August 2015 My Body Back and Barts Health NHS Trust jointly established the first NHS service offering women who have been sexually assaulted access to specialist support to undergo a cervical smear test and testing for sexual infections.

It was at the My Body Back clinics that women began revealing the difficulties that they had experienced during pregnancy and labour, even if the attack had happened many years beforehand.

Pavan Amara, founder of My Body Back, explained: "A number of the women told me how isolated they felt throughout pregnancy and labour and how it had triggered them into remembering their experience of being raped."

“From hearing women tell me this I thought there was a need for us to start a maternity clinic specifically designed for women who have experienced sexual violence. As our project works in partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust I knew the staff would be supportive.”

Women from across the UK are invited to contact the clinic for confidential advice and information at maternity@mybodybackproject.com.