What support it provides to help women who are survivors of sexual violence to access cervical screening.

From 2018-19 we are providing funding to the Sandyford Clinic for women who have experienced rape or sexual violence and are due (or overdue) for their cervical screening test. The ‘My Body Back’ project runs clinics where women and transgender men who have experienced sexual assault are able to access cervical screening, STI checks, and coil fittings and removals. The clinics were started in response to requests from survivors, giving them a safe space in which they feel in control and have their needs met, regardless of when they were sexually assaulted.
We are also investing up to £5 million from the Cancer Strategy to tackle inequalities in access to screening, including cervical screening. A recent initiative we have funded includes the development and delivery of an education programme for smear takers in partnership with NHS Borders Joint Health Improvement Team and Scottish Borders Rape Crisis to raise awareness of cervical screening in vulnerable groups, with a focus on lesbian, bisexual women, the transgender community; female genital mutilation; childhood sexual abuse; rape & sexual assault and domestic abuse.