New research from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has found three quarters (72%) of women who have experienced sexual violence have not attended or have delayed cervical screening (smear test) because of their experience. New resources being launched by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Rape Crisis England & Wales aim to provide support and information for survivors who want to take up their invitation and increase understanding among health professionals of sexual violence as a barrier to the test.

In an article published by iNews, Katharine Sacks-Jones, Chief Executive of Agenda, and Ian Hamilton, lecturer in mental health at the University of York examine the latest ONS figures on drug-related deaths among women in 2017, calling for investment in women-specific services and a joined up approach to women’s substance misuse. 

UK’s first guidance has been launched on safeguarding to help nurses and other healthcare staff more effectively protect vulnerable adults. The document, published by a range of royal colleges and other professional organisations, sets out core competencies, skills and training that staff should have. Other forms of abuse it aims to counter are people trafficking and modern slavery, domestic abuse, and internet abuse, such as being as being the subject of non-consensual online pornography.