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Cervical Screening: Support for Survivors
For many women and people with a cervix, a cervical screening is routine. But for survivors of sexual abuse, it can feel distressing, triggering, and overwhelming. This guide offers support, choices, and strategies to help you feel safe, in control, and empowered.
Why Cervical Screening Matters
Cervical screening (smear tests) checks for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can cause changes to cervical cells. While most HPV infections clear naturally, some persist and may lead to cervical cancer over many years.
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9 in 10 cervical cancer cases are linked to HPV (Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, 2023).
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Screening saves thousands of lives each year, yet nearly one in three eligible people don’t attend their appointments . Trauma, anxiety, and past experiences are often the reason.
Understanding the Emotional Impact
If you’re a survivor of sexual abuse, a smear test may feel invasive or trigger memories of trauma. You might experience anxiety before, during, or after the appointment. That reaction is completely valid. Your feelings are shaped by your lived experiences, and you are entitled to care that respects this.
Case example:
Anna*, 34, avoided her smear test for years after an assault. When she told her nurse why, the nurse arranged a pre-appointment discussion, allowed Anna to insert the speculum herself, and played music to help her relax. Anna described the experience as “empowering, not overwhelming.”
*Name changed for anonymityScreening is your choice. You can accept, delay, or decline at any time.
You can stop the test at any stage without explanation.
You have the right to request:
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A female healthcare professional.
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A chaperone.
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More time for the appointment.
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To see or handle the equipment before the test.
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To insert the speculum yourself.
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An initial consultation before booking the actual test.
What the Law Says
Under the NHS Constitution for England, you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to be involved in decisions about your care, and to give or withhold consent at any time. The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination based on sex, gender identity, or disability, including mental health conditions related to trauma.
For survivors, this means healthcare providers must make reasonable adjustments to ensure you can access screening in a way that minimises distress. You are never under legal obligation to undergo the test.
Cervical screening is an important health check, but your emotional safety matters just as much as your physical health. Whether you choose to attend now, later, or not at all, we’re here to listen, believe, and support you without pressure or judgement.