‘I AM MORE THAN ONE THING’: A guiding paper by Imkaan, Positively UK and Rape Crisis England and Wales on women and mental health

At least one in four people will experience a mental health problem at one pint in their lives. Furthermore women and girls, in increasing numbersare almost twice as likelly as boys and men to suffer from low-level mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, eating dsorders, low-self esteem and self-harm.

This report builds on existing evidence to highlight womrn'd experiences of poor mental health and wellbeing and their interactions with the mental health system. It also aims to identify support needs or barriers that women encounter in the process of seeking support across the voluntary and statutory sector. Whilst we are aware there are several factors that impact on women's mental health; specifically this guiding paper focuses on women's mental health within the context of the effects of sexual violence as well as an assessment of different levels of social exclusion or marginalistion, that may be experienced by black and ethnic minority (BME) women and women affected by HIV.