Mothers who give birth as a result of rape "stayed quiet to protect themselves", researchers have found following the first UK-based study of rape pregnancy.

The University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol said those willing to speak were eight black women aged between 21 and 26 who all gave birth to daughters.

Findings showed that participants had bonded strongly with their children but they harboured deep trauma which had not been disclosed to professional services.

Associate professor Dr Jane Meyrick said survivors often stay silent due to "fear of stigma around sexual violence" and how this might impact the care they receive.

'Fear kept them silent'

The study was led by Hannah Jackson, a counselling psychologist trainee and therapist at Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS), and was supported by Dr Meyrick.

The team's research revealed there were an estimated 3,356 rape pregnancies in England and Wales in 2021 with an estimated 50 to 70% of the women affected giving birth.

The study found only one mother told her maternity care team that she was pregnant as a result of rape.

Three confided in a therapist while four told no professionals at all.

"Fear kept them silent," said Ms Jackson.

"They worried about being judged, blamed for their own trauma or discriminated against because they were young, black and single.

"They believed this bias would shape the care they received so they stayed quiet to protect themselves."

Ms Jackson said the trauma inflicted from sexual violence had caused some participants to feel "disconnected" from their bodies, resulting in missed symptoms.

One mother explained: "I paid little or no attention to the changes in my body. I was always thinking of what to do and my next move."

'Web of trauma'

Dr Meyrick said for those children born of rape, "life can be equally complex".

As they grow older, children may face identity struggles, social exclusion or emotional challenges linked to their origins.

"At the heart of this web of trauma, secrecy and societal attitudes around stigma, we are creating a cycle of vulnerability for mothers and children," she said.

"There is a fear of stigma around sexual violence, sexual abuse and rape.

"This silence matters because routine check-ups and maternity care can feel triggering.

"We need to break that cycle. That means care that is sensitive, trauma-informed and free from stigma.

"We need to be able to ask and create the conditions for women to tell."

In response to the findings, researchers have drawn up a list of recommendations to improve support for survivors of sexual violence.

Among these is one calling for the systematic collection of data on rape-pregnancy in maternity services and framing rape-pregnancy as a structural issue influenced by inequality, not solely individual trauma.