Enhancing cervical screening women experienced sexual violence/abuse
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Measuring the impact of enhancing cervical screening care for women who have experienced sexual violence and abuse
IRAS ID
331430
Contact name
Ceryl Davies
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 3 months, 21 days
Research summary
The initial impetus for this study originated from women accessing the services of Stepping-Stones, a North Wales charity (https://www.steppingstonesnorthwales.co.uk/), which provides specialist counselling support to adults who have experienced sexual violence and abuse. During group and individual sessions, women receiving support expressed difficulties in attending routine health appointments, particularly cervical screening care. The women voiced that improvements to cervical screening care could be made to better support a range of diverse needs through an approach grounded in compassionate care.
Following a successful Advanced Fellowship application, this 5-year study is funded by HCRW and the NIHR (HCRW NIHR FS(A)-2023a-CD / NIHR303644). From the outset of the development of this study and the funding application, the study protocol has been developed in collaboration with the Academic Mentorship Team, the Project Steering (PSG) and the Project Advisory Groups (PAG) (please see Appendix 2 for the membership list for these groups). Facilitated co-production workshops to develop this study and the study protocol with women accessing services with living experience of SV&A have been delivered in November 2023, January 2024, November 2024, January, February and October 2025.
This project aligns with the NIHR’s strategic aims of preventing ill health, promoting engagement with preventative services, and improving public health and social care. The limited qualitative research with victims-survivors of SV&A makes it difficult to fully understand their experiences of health screening services. This project seeks to address this gap by diversifying research participation and explore the voices of underheard groups with the aim of reducing health and social inequalities and contributing to research, policy and practice. To achieve parity in healthcare provision, women who are unable to access cervical screening should be supported to do so (Zelin et al, 2017).REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
25/WA/0366
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion