Community members in Devonport gathered last Sunday for the Walk the Talk event which was part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
Engender Equality ‘advocate for change’ Taylor Woodward spoke about what needs to be done to support victim-survivors who disclose their abuse. Taylor is from Burnie, is a Burnie Works Community Knowledge Collector and a member of our Families Group.
Taylor said that she became an advocate because she thought that she would be able to make a difference and had a passion to change the system so that people who disclose can get a better response than she did.
Taylor shared her experiences of family violence, sexual violence and coercive control to educate the community, but more importantly she gave suggestions on how to respond to victim-survivors when they disclose.
‘Take the time to listen to everything the victim/survivor wants to disclose to you. Validate their experience and reaffirm that violence in all its forms is not okay, is never their fault and there is always help. Thank the victim/survivor for trusting you enough to share this information with you. It is an honour when someone shares with you. If we are going to address violence in Australia EVERYONE needs to do their bit. Everyone here today can make a difference and that difference can start with listening to and supporting victim/survivors when they speak out.’
Burnie Works supports advocates like Taylor to strengthen the voice of lived experience. Authentically engaging community members participation, lived experience, and aspirations is central to create community change.
Read the story in The Advocate on the link below
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/7997447/devonport-community-walks-the-talk-on-gender-based-violence/
Learn about the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/11/in-focus-16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence
Listen to Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, Michaela Cronin as she shares her plans to end violence against women and children
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-08/what-can-we-expect-from-australia%E2%80%99s-first-domestic/101630332
