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Sexual abuse and sexual violence can be hard to talk about, many people feel shame or fear, so they stay silent. But silence can stop someone from getting the help they need and one should have to cope alone. What is Sexual Abuse or Sexual Violence? Sexual abuse or violence is any sexual act without consent that causes harm or distress. It can happen to anyone, at any age, and in any community. It is often done by someone the person knows or once trusted, not always a strange

Healthwatch Southend is inviting Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) to take part in a focus group about their experiences of using general practice (GP services). We want to hear directly from Deaf people about what works well, what does not, and what needs to improve when accessing GP services. Why are we doing this? In 2023, Healthwatch Southend held focus groups with Deaf people and found significant inequalities in access to GP services. These included: Lack

Cervical Screening Week is a good time to talk about how cervical screening can help stop cervical cancer before it starts. Cervical screening is also called a smear test. It is not a test for cancer. The test checks for HPV (human papillomavirus). Some types of HPV can cause changes to the cells of the cervix. If these changes are found early, they can be treated and it can prevent cancer. In England, women and people with a cervix aged 25–64 are eligible for cervical screen