Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week

We understand that pregnancy and maternity can be triggering for anyone who has experienced sexual violence. Pregnancy is a time of huge change to your mind, your body and your environment. 

Pregnancy is also a time of vulnerability for mothers. A third of domestic abuse begins or escalates during pregnancy (Safe Lives) and 20% of pregnant women are subjected to sexual violence (Women’s Aid). 

If you have been/are affected by sexual violence you can contact us for support by phone or email, 01343 550 407 or contact@morayrapecrisis.scot

Not every survivor who experiences pregnancy is affected by their experience of sexual violence, but lots of survivors are. Common experiences during pregnancy for survivors include:

• Flashbacks
• Fear and anxiety
• Feeling unsafe or feeling a loss of control
• Exhaustion or burnout
• Isolation
• Dissociation or hyper-alertness
• Loss of intimacy and difficulty in connecting with your partner or your baby

This is not an exhaustive list and every survivor’s experience is different. Trauma affects people differently. What you may experience is a normal reaction to overwhelming circumstances and your feelings are valid. We hear you, we believe you and we are here for you. You can read more about trauma here.

Pregnancy is a huge life transition and it can cause unprocessed trauma to emerge. It’s common for survivors to carry the impacts of their traumas into pregnancy & birth. This can be distressing but it can also be an opportunity to acknowledge the trauma and begin a process of mourning, remembrance and healing. (Peeren, S. King’s College)

Some things you can do to help with the process of healing are

• Speaking to a professional and seeking support
• Bringing a friend or trusted person to appointments
• Reading about pre-, ante- and postnatal care to help you understand what happens and what to expect
• Journalling about how you feel and any concerns or questions you have
• Affirmations and positive mantras can help build confidence, reduce anxiety, stress and depression and increase self-worth
• Breathwork and grounding exercises can help keep you present and in your body
  

If you are pregnant, are thinking about becoming pregnant or have recently given birth and are affected by sexual violence, support is available for you. You may be scared or concerned about seeking help, but there are services who can provide specialist support and community for you:

Support Resources

• A really comprehensive resource for survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) produced by The Survivors Trust, Kings College London and lived experience from survivors themselves: https://thesurvivorstrust.org/news/pregnancy-birth-and-parenthood-after-childhood-sexual-abuse/
• A resource produced by GINA about pregnancy when you have experienced/are experiencing sexual violence. It includes a template of a letter you can give to your midwife explaining your concerns.

Community

• Latnem are a peer support group for mothers and birthing people across Moray and the Grampian area
• Moray Mum Days creates friendly and supportive spaces to connect and share experiences with other people.

Maternity Care

• Moray Maternity Services (Mental Health) information and support about mental health support available in the Grampian area
• Birth in Grampian Facebook page with information and advice
• NHS Grampian Parent and Infant Mental Health Service a specialist mental health support service for infants and 
• Grampian Maternity Voices Partnership is an independent advisory and action forum made up of service users, their representatives and NHS staff. It exists to make sure that NHS Grampian listens to and takes account of the views and experiences of the people who use the local maternity services.

Local Support for Survivors

• Moray Rape Crisis -
  • Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm
  • 01343 550407
  • contact@morayrapecrisis.scot
• Grampian Rape Crisis -
  • Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm
  • 01224 590932
  • info@rcgrampian.co.uk
• Moray Women’s Aid -
  • Mon-Fri 0930am to 1630pm
  • 01343 550407
  • admin@moraywomensaid.co.uk
• Grampian Women’s Aid -
  • Mon-Fri 0930am to 4pm
  • 01224 593381
  • info@grampianwa.com

National Helplines

• Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline
  • Everyday 5pm - Midnight
  • 08088 01 03 02
  • support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
• National Domestic Abuse 24 hour Helpline
  • 24/7, 365 days a year
  • 0808 2000 247

Sources

• Callaghan, J., Morrison, F., and Abdullatif, A. (2018) Supporting women and babies after domestic abuse: A toolkit for domestic abuse specialists. London: Women’s Aid Federation of England. 
• Peeren, S. (2023) Understanding the pregnancy, birth, early motherhood and maternity care experiences of survivors of sexual violence in adulthood. King’s College. Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy