Survivors of sexual abuse: a call for increased awareness

The article by Louise Cadman and colleagues on barriers to cervical screening in women who have suffered sexual abuse (page 214) and the associated commentary by Sarah Kelly from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (page 212) draw timely attention to a trauma that may affect a significant proportion of readers’ clients, but which has received all too little attention to date. Sexual abuse, in childhood and beyond, casts a shadow over the lives of many women and seriously affects their social relationships. These two articles remind us that their dealings with health professionals, particularly those involved in women's health, can be similarly affected, leading in some cases to significant harms through late diagnosis of disease. The authors draw our attention to these women's perspectives on helpful and sensitive approaches to assisting them to access services such as cervical screening, and to the need to provide environments in which they can disclose their concerns freely. These are two thought-provoking articles that are highly recommended to journal readers.

See pages 212 and 214

Effect of domestic violence on contraceptive choice

Sadly, domestic violence against women continues in many countries. This study from Nicaragua looks at the impact of intimate …