Online group gives community voice

A FACEBOOK page was switched on over the long weekend is connecting survivors and victims of sexual abuse as well as those in their support networks.

Set up by the team behind Continuous Voices, the online community is aimed at bringing together people on different stages of their journey, and organisers chose the Easter break for a few different reasons.

“We launched the Facebook page to make sure that everybody was feeling supported over the long weekend, to ensure voices are still being heard and let people know we want everyone to be part of the project regardless of happened with Pell during the week,” said spokesperson Blake Curran.

“For a lot of people, not just survivors but spouses of survivors and family members, we don’t really know what to do or how to do things now, but I think that the Continuous Voices project will help a lot of people.

“The events during the week with Pell have actually solidified us and brought a lot more people together. There’s more unity in believing survivors and victims.”

With social interaction limited due to preventive isolation, the Facebook page will also serve as a central point for the Continuous Voices project, which aims to culminate in a memorial for victims of sexual abuse.

That initiative was officially launched in December last year, with a range of artistic endeavours set to inform elements of the memorial.

“We want to let everyone know that things are still ticking along, even in isolation and lockdown,” Mr Curran said. “The project will still be happening and still going forward.

“The plan was to have some workshops next month in which artists who would be facilitating the creation of the public space we’re going to be trained up in trauma informed practice, but given we’re all in lockdown we’re doing that online.”

With the project still going ahead, part of the process is being put towards a location for the memorial.

That’s something Mr Curran said was still under consideration.

“Down the track in a couple of months’ time we’ll be working with different landscape teams and trying to determine a place that’s significant for people and be accessible to all,” he said.

“We’re not sure yet where it’s going to be, that’ll have to be part of the whole process.”

Find the online community at facebook.com/continuousvoices.

If you or anyone you know is dealing with issues resulting from sexual abuse help is available from CASA on 1800 806 292, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732.