2022 | Issue 12 | SJC Newsletter

2021 Australian of the Year, Grace Tame, shared her inspiring story at the Give Where You Live Foundation’s inaugural Conversations That Matter event on Wednesday 3 August. The Give Where You Live Foundation has launched Conversations That Matter to encourage conversations on issues that matter to our community.

Over 600 people attended the event to hear Grace Tame speak from the heart, about how she turned her traumatic experience into advocacy for survivors of child sexual assault and become a leader of positive change.

“I feel so lucky, honoured, supported and loved to have been the first public survivor of child sexual abuse to be named Australian of the Year.”

Meleah Zanos, Head of Mt Sion Wellbeing and Leah Irving, Respectful Relationships staff member accompanied three Year 11 students to the event.

In talking about her work to remove the word ‘relationship’ from legislation across the county when referring to child sexual assault, she highlighted the power of language and inconsistencies in definitions that inform public narrative around a victim blaming culture. “We rely on the media, the police, and the courts to use language which reflects the crime. Which is why we need to reform our laws in order to change the conversation.”

“These crimes are not relationships or affairs. They’re crimes.”

Grace shared the important message that we need to hear more from people who don’t always have a platform. The audience was urged to keep listening and to continue to hold uncomfortable spaces. Her messages are consistent with the St Joseph’s Respectful Relationships curriculum, our Touchstones and what we practise in our daily interactions with each other.

“I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to hear Grace speak. Her story is compelling and confronting. Her courage and resilience are palpable. Her message to the audience was for us to listen to victim-survivors and work together to become a community that welcomes change. As young men, we play an important role in supporting women and all marginalised people and giving them a voice.”

Liam A, Year 11

Thank you to Jane Fitzgerald Photography for providing the image.