Commitment made to place of hope

THE creation of a sculptural memorial in Victoria Park for survivors of sexual abuse will receive half-a-million dollars in State funding if Labor re-forms government later this month.

The aim of the Continuous Voices Survivors Memorial will be to acknowledge the trauma and pain that comes from sexual violence, and to provide a place for those affected to sit, reflect, and remember.

Continuous Voices’ Blake Curran lost his father, Peter Curran, to depression after he had been abused as a child at St Alipius, and St Patrick’s College.

Mr Curran said the funding pledge is not just one for survivors, and their families, but for the whole community.

“It will bring together the fruition of our plans and ideas, and artistic workshops that have been led by our trauma-informed practice, to ensure that the space, whether it be called a memorial or a reflection healing space, will all culminate in a place of hope,” he said.

“Many generations to come will be able to enjoy this space, whether they’re healing from events in Ballarat that have happened in the past few decades, or elsewhere within Australia.

“Anyone can come and visit and have a reflective time here.”

Labor candidate for Wendouree Juliana Addison said this project is a special one she is proud to support.

“Ballarat’s Continuous Voices Survivors Memorial will be an Australian-first public art space for all survivors of sexual abuse and facilitate healing and hope,” she said.

“To all victims and survivors of sexual abuse, we see you, we hear you and we believe you.”

The Continuous Voices Community Reference Group, and more than 50 survivors, allies and artists have contributed to development and designs.

The City of Ballarat has already made a commitment of $520,000 to the sculpture, which will be installed by the lake beside Plane Avenue.