A story to inspire & educate

Domestic violence survivor set to share her personal journey

Domestic violence survivor Simone O’Brien shared her powerful story at last year’s Rotary District’s Conference in Port Fairy. Current Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes president Sherril McKay was there and earmarked Simone as a potential guest speaker at a local event.

“Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in the community for all sorts of reasons and has been forever and a day and I wanted out club to be involved in terms of advocacy and awareness,” Sherril said.

As things have turned out, the May 22 event at The Commodore on the Park, will be hosted and funded by all three Mount Gambier based Rotary clubs, and will kickstart what is going to be 12 months of all Rotary Clubs focussing on family violence beginning in July.

“It will be the perfect launch,” Sherril said. “We had already started to lock in this event with Simone before the incoming District Governor proposed the idea of all the Rotary clubs working together on one theme, rather than the usual separate focus of each club, and domestic and family violence is going to be that theme.”

Rotary Mount Gambier Lakes is already looking into online awareness courses and other educational opportunities they can support in the domestic and family violence space.

Simone’s story will be told at the Monday, May 22 dinner at $45 a head (plus booking fee) for a two course dinner at The Commodore and you can book online at HUMANITIX.

Simone’s story dates back to 2012 when she suffered a horrific domestic violence attack at the hands of a perpetrator who would not take “no” for an answer.

It started with emotional and psychological abuse, including telling lies, stealing money and insults. And it ended with Simone being beaten with a baseball bat to within inches of my life.

She lost her eyesight on her right side and her sense of smell and her skull was held together with screws and titanium plates. The ripple effect of that attack, which happened in front of her two daughters, has been unimaginable, including her son, who was not home at the time..

It was the support of family, friends, neighbours, doctors and nurses that got her through initially and she shares her story in between all the treatments, operations and therapies she has to go through for the rest of my life.

Simone is the first to admit before here attack she was oblivious to domestic violence and the red flags associated with it.

“I learned the hard way and now, I want to make sure no women or children will experience what me and my kids did ever again,” she said. “I want to raise awareness of domestic violence and give strength to victims to get out of violent relationships. I want to help people see the red flags and provide them the information they need to protect themselves and seek help if required. Using my personal story of determination, resilience, courage and strength, I want to champion non-violence against women and children.”

Having undergone over 50 lifesaving surgeries, and with her perpetrator being sentenced to 15 years in jail, Simone is now not only a survivor, but an advocate for women against violence. It will be a privilege to hear Simone’s incredible story.