We Care: Women’s Empowerment: Cervical screening Access, Recovery and Empathy

Overview

Cervical Cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet many women continue to face barriers to screening. These barriers can be particularly pronounced for women who have experienced sexual violence of abuse, for whom intimate medical procedures may be distressing, or re-traumatising. 

Despite the scale of this issue, there is limited research that examines survivors' experiences of cervical screening. WE CARE seeks to address gap by exploring the perspectives of women across Wales, England, Sweden and Australia and by co-producing solutions that support equitable, sensitive and compassionate screening care. 

Background 

Sexual violence and abuse affect many girls and women, and these experiences can have a lasting impact on engagement with healthcare. Understanding how survivors experience cervical screening, and how services can better meet their needs, is essential for reducing health inequalities.

By taking an international approach, the project examines how different health systems respond to survivors’ needs. Comparing screening services across Wales, England, Sweden, and Australia allows us to learn from varied practice and identify effective models that can be adapted to local contexts.

Project Aim

To measure the impact of enhancing cervical screening care for women who have experienced sexual violence and abuse, and to inform the development of accessible, compassionate screening services.

Key Objectives

1. Co‑production with survivors and practitioners

We will work closely with:

• Women with lived experience of SV&A, through a Project Advisory Group
• Healthcare professionals and practitioners, through a Project Steering Group

This ensures the research is guided by real experiences and grounded in practice.

2. Identifying challenges in current care

The project will explore:

• Barriers to accessing cervical screening
• How experiences differ across the four countries
• Survivors' needs, preferences, and expectations

3. Systematic reviews

We will undertake comprehensive reviews of existing research to strengthen the evidence base for all workstreams.

4. Examining current cervical screening provision

The study will evaluate how screening services are currently delivered, their strengths, and areas where improvements are needed.

5. Developing an improved model of care

Insights from survivors, practitioners, and research evidence will inform:

• A theoretical model of enhanced care
• A practical framework that promotes sensitive and compassionate screening care

6. Creating a practitioner toolkit

An evidence-based toolkit will be developed to support:

• Sensitive and compassionate practice
• Improved service standards and consistency

7. Measuring impact

Using Social Return on Investment (SROI) and additional economic evaluation, we will assess:

• The benefits of the enhanced care model
• Impact on women, services, and wider society

Why This Research Matters

Improving cervical screening care for survivors can:

• Enhance engagement with preventative healthcare
• Reduce inequalities and service barriers
• Support women’s physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing
• Promote compassionate, person‑centred care across health systems

WE CARE aligns with Bangor University’s commitment to impactful research that improves health and wellbeing in Wales and internationally.