By Jonty Ralphsmith
Australian activist Grace Tame was invited to give a speech at Bunjil Place on Tuesday 22 February.
The 2021 Australian of the Year was recognised by the City of Casey as a strong advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse, speaking ahead of international women’s day on Tuesday 8 March.
In the municipality, 131 per 10,000 women experience family violence, according to Crime Statistics Agency Victoria – higher than the state average.
Surveys conducted in 2015 by VicHealth further revealed that just 26 per cent of women feel safe in public, compared to 70 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women and 54 per cent of men believe males should control the household and that women prefer a man in charge.
The council praised Ms Tame for bringing the issue “into the Australian public discourse.”
“She is an inspiring role model for women and we felt that her achievements and causes deserved to be recognised as part of International Women’s Day,” said Daniel Osborne, manager of safer communities.
The event featured the work that the council is doing in the prevention of violence against women, including by the community gender equality taskforce.
There were 430 people in attendance, 369 watching the livestream and 542 watching the recording after the event.
“Grace’s message was clear and inspiring: we must change deeply flawed laws and systems, hold perpetrators to account and ‘make some noise’ to prevent childhood sexual abuse and bring justice to victim/survivors,” Mr Osborne Said.
“People from many walks of life attended the event, which was hailed a success. Grace brought the audience to places of laughter, tears, and reflection on the part we all play in helping to end childhood sexual abuse and hold perpetrators to account. They also had their awareness raised around child abuse issues and the effect that laws, systems and institutions can have on victim/survivors.”
Nationally, one in two women have experienced sexual harassment and one in four women have been sexually assaulted at work, per the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
