A UK study on rape pregnancy: shaping the research idea (part 1)

My name is Hannah. I am a Counsellor at SARSAS and have been for 5 years. I have also been a Helpline Volunteer and a Specialist Support worker at SARSAS. In 2020 I decided to do a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. I was lucky enough to be accepted onto the course and started in 2021.

As part of studying for my Doctorate, I had to write a research thesis. This involved coming up with an original research idea (i.e., finding a specific topic or question that no one else had researched), designing the research project, conducting the research, and then writing it up.

My research looked at the experiences of women in the UK who had given birth to and raised a child conceived through rape.

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 Finding my research idea

The idea for my research came directly from my work with SARSAS clients. In my work as a SARSAS counsellor I heard stories from women I worked with about their experiences of rape that led to pregnancy. They shared with me their lived experiences of their relationships with their children and how their child’s rape-conception affected that relationship. I also heard how my clients felt alone with their experiences. They did not hear the stories of other women who had also experienced a rape-pregnancy. They were unable to find resources to help them through these complicated experiences.

So, when I had the opportunity to do research through my Doctorate, I wanted to help my clients and other women like them. I wanted to highlight rape-pregnancy stories, so that women going through this might feel less alone.

Of course, that is not to say that there is no research into rape-pregnancy. However, the research that I was able to find had been conducted in post-conflict zones such as Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti, or within the American Military. There have been no studies conducted within the UK looking into women’s experiences of rape-pregnancy, making my research the first study on this topic in the UK.

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Who took part?

When designing my research, a SARSAS survivors focus group helped me to shape the wording of the Participant information sheet and Participant consent form. They also helped me to develop the interview questions that I would ask the participants in my research. I ended up interviewing 8 participants, all of whom identified as Black women. Whilst it was not my initial intention to recruit only Black participants, all the women who took part identified as Black. Black women survivor voices are rarely heard in research, and it felt especially important to listen to and amplify these experiences.

My research allowed me the opportunity to not only amplify the voices of women who had lived experience of rape-pregnancy and raising the child, but of Black women survivors specifically. While my research may not represent the experiences of all women who have experienced rape-pregnancy, it offers vital insight into an area that has been largely unheard.

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Hopes for the future

I am hoping that my research can be built on, so that specific resources can be developed to help women who experience rape-pregnancy to manage this experience. Here at SARSAS, we are considering how my research can inform the work that we already do. But a message we want to put out to everyone is that rape-pregnancy happens and the experience deserves to be recognised. If you are reading this and recognise aspects of your own experience, please know that you are not alone we are here to listen, believe and support you.

The SARSAS helpline services offer confidential and anonymous support across Avon and Somerset for anyone who has experienced any kind of sexual violence or abuse at any time in their life. You can talk to us about anything and won’t be judged for your experiences and reactions.

The full write up of my thesis is available on the UWE repository. However I should warn you, it is quite long (60k words) and is also written in an academic style and for an academic audience, so care should be taken to protect your own wellbeing when reading.

For a more condensed version of my research findings, please listen to this podcast, Support needs of women having babies as a result of rape (recorded in March 2025).

This research was conducted with the support and input of Dr Jane Meyrick and Dr Zoe Thomas, both from University of the West of England, who were my academic supervisors.

You can read the other blogs in Hannah’s three-part series here:

• A UK study on rape pregnancy: themes, insights & limitations (part 2)
• A UK study on rape pregnancy: Little Ro’s reflections & contributions (part 3)