We are vulnerable, too

My transition to becoming a student midwife has not been straightforward: I bring baggage. I was raped 11 years ago and buried it, so did not consider that becoming a midwife would pose any problems. Little did I know that this journey would make me question my own experiences of pregnancy and motherhood, and would bring the rape and subsequent termination to the forefront of my mind, forcing me to confront issues that I would have preferred to leave unearthed. Reading around the subject has helped me to understand emotions that have surfaced, and put a name to how I am feeling, yet certain procedures in practice make me uncomfortable. It is thought that 20 per cent of women aged 16-59 have experienced a sexual assault of some type since turning 16 (Rape Crisis 2015), so being sensitive to vulnerabilities faced by service users, students and colleagues is crucial. I do not make recommendations for practice, but the reference list provides a starting point for those who wish to read more extensively.