About this Event
About the event
The Sexual Violence and Health Research Network (SVaHRN) will host its annual research event at the Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge on 23rd February 2027. This event is supported by the BIKE Impact fund and Cambridge Reproduction.
The day will bring together victim-survivors, practitioners, researchers, clinicians, and students to share knowledge and practice, discuss emerging findings, and champion survivor-led approaches to research and care.
The event is free and open to all interested in improving care and support for people with lived experiences of sexual violence and abuse. Places are limited so please book your tickets in advance. Tickets will be retained for speakers.
There are a small number of bursaries for victim-survivors to fund travel to attend the conference. Please email us on [email protected] to discuss further.
Call for abstract
Our 2027 theme is Reclaiming Health, focusing on sexual violence, health, and healing across the life course. We recognise health and healing as an ongoing, lifelong journey rather than a linear path with a fixed endpoint. Victim-survivors should be empowered to define health and healing for themselves.
This year, we especially welcome abstracts for oral or poster presentations on the following topics:
- Child sexual abuse and its health impacts across the life course;
- Reproductive and sexual health after sexual violence and abuse;
- Navigating health care and support services, and transitions between them, as a victim-survivor of sexual violence and abuse;
- Disclosure, recognition and understanding of sexual violence experiences across the life course;
- Sexual violence, inequality and intersecting disadvantage;
- Creative and participatory methods in research and practice with people affected by sexual violence and abuse;
- Activism related to sexual violence and health.
The deadline for all submissions is 1st December. More details of the submission guidelines can be found here.
Location
This year’s conference will take place at the William Mong Hall, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge on 23rd February 2027. We will provide more information about the direction to the venue closer to the time.
About SVaHRN
Established in 2017, SVaHRN brings together survivors, clinicians, researchers, students and others working in the field of sexual violence and abuse. It provides a multidisciplinary and supportive forum for discussing health-related research, sharing work in progress, and exploring the links between health and sexual violence. The network is dedicated to:
- raise awareness around the health impacts of sexual violence and abuse, including but not limited to sexual, mental and physical health;
- challenge inequities in whose knowledge and experience is valued across research and practice, promoting survivor-led research and practice;
- improve how health, social care, and third-sectors support survivors of sexual violence and abuse;
- foster critical and collaborative research that contributes to the prevention of sexual violence and related health inequalities.
Event venue & nearby stays
Sidney Sussex College, Sidney Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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