Pro-life charity welcomes opening of maternity clinic for rape survivors

The My Body Back clinic, based at the Royal London Hospital, provides extra support to women who have experienced sexual violence

A pro-life charity has welcomed the opening of Britain’s first maternity clinic especially for rape survivors.
The My Body Back clinic provides extra support to women who have experienced sexual violence. The clinic, based at the Royal London Hospital and co-run by Barts Health NHS Trust, will have specially-trained midwives, psychologists and paediatricians.
Mark Bhagwandin of the pro-life charity Life welcomed the new clinic, saying it was “greatly needed for women who have bravely decided to continue with their pregnancy despite the devastating trauma brought on by rape.”
“So often, women who become pregnant from rape are offered terminations which only adds trauma to their existing trauma. This appears to be a positive life-affirming initiative which shows compassion for both the mother and baby,” he said.
“As an organisation with decades of experience counselling pregnant women in crisis, Life know firsthand that women in these difficult situations need counselling and support.”
Louise Silverton, director of midwifery for the Royal College of Midwives, also welcomed the initiative, saying: “The RCM hopes that this scheme will be introduced more widely across Britain.”
Pavan Amara, founder of the charity My Body Back, has said that working with rape survivors had led her to consider founding the clinic. “A number of the women told me how isolated they felt throughout pregnancy and labour and how it had triggered them into remembering their experience of being raped.”
The clinic will provide antenatal classes and breastfeeding advice especially suitable for women who have experienced rape and sexual assault.