Sexual Health for Survivors
We know that survivors of sexual violence may find accessing sexual health services difficult, whether this is directly following sexual violence or later.
The right to health is a universal human right and sexual health is a part of this. All people have a right to access sexual health services and advice, this is especially important for those who have experienced sexual violence.
Sexual violence can have an impact on your physical and mental health, and support is available. Your GP, local sexual health clinic or sexual assault referral centre (SARC) can all offer you safe and confidential advice and treatment.
If there is a possibility that you could be pregnant following rape, you can attend one of the above places to have a pregnancy test and explore your options. If it is less than five days following the incident, you may be eligible for emergency contraception.
If you have experienced sexual violence, it’s important to think about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which can be passed on through oral, vaginal and anal sexual contact. It is advised that you are tested for STIs after rape or sexual assault, even if you don’t have any symptoms.
Sexual Health Clinics
Sexual Health Clinics support everyone with their sexual health, regardless of whether they have experienced sexual violence.
They offer general services including:
- Advice and information about sexual health
- STI testing and treatment
- Pregnancy tests and advice
- Abortion services
- Contraception including emergency contraception
- HIV testing
- Cervical screening (smear tests)
- PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) – medications that can help prevent you from contracting HIV either after or before exposure respectively.
There is infomration about NHS Sexual Health services here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)
If you have been recently raped or sexually assaulted, you can go to your local SARC.
SARCs can offer confidential medical and practical support to people who have recently been raped or sexually assaulted.
If you think you might want to report to the police, you can also have a forensic medical exam. This is where a specially trained doctor or nurse collects evidence from your body and clothes, that might be used in court.
You can go to a SARC without talking to the police. You should also be able to choose whether you get a forensic medical exam or not.
As well as doing forensic medical exams, a SARC should be able to help you with:
- Getting medical help for any injuries
- Pregnancy tests
- STI tests
- Emergency contraception
A SARC should also help you get emotional support. They may have staff that can do this, or they might put you in touch with your local Rape Crisis centre.
STI Testing
Your healthcare provider will explain which tests are advised and how they are carried out. Some STI tests require blood samples, some require urine samples, and some require swabs from the vagina.
Depending on your symptoms, your healthcare provider may also advise an examination of your genitals. For those with a vagina, this may include an external examination (of the skin and areas outside of your body) and / or an internal examination (of inside your vagina and around your cervix). For those with a penis, this may involve an examination of your penis and / or testicles. For everyone this may involve looking around the anus.
For people with a vagina, common STIs can usually be tested for using a self-taken swab. You can step behind the curtain or into the bathroom to do this yourself. For people with a penis, common STIs can usually be tested for using a urine sample. This means that if you have no symptoms, you can usually have an STI screen without having an examination.
HIV and syphilis testing require a blood test.
Some areas also offer free STI testing kits which can be delivered to your house and carried out alone at home. Although your healthcare provider will tell you what tests and examinations they advise, it is up to you how much you have done. You should never be forced into having a test or examination that you do not want, and you can ask to stop at any time.
Some survivors of sexual violence will find these kinds of examinations upsetting or uncomfortable. It is okay to ask your provider to stop at any time or to take a break. It is okay if you feel you cannot continue with the testing or examination.
You may find our page on cervical screening tests useful; it highlights different ways to help you cope with medical examinations following sexual violence. Cervical screening is an important part of sexual health care.
Support and further information
Find your local SARC https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-services/rape-and-sexual-assault-referral-centres
National Sexual Health Helpline 0300 123 7123, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 4pm.
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) https://www.bpas.org/ (contraception and abortion support)
Brook https://www.brook.org.uk/ (sexual health charity for under-25s)
NHS Sexual Health https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/
