Cairns Sexual Assault Service, TRUE, Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service, Ruth's Women's Shelter and WorkUP Queensland present...

Lifting the Lid on sexual violence in FNQ 2021

Almost 1 in 5 women (18%) and 1 in 20 men (4.7%) have experienced sexual violence (sexual assault and/or threats) since the age of 15. Women were most likely to experience sexual violence from a previous cohabiting partner (4.5% of women) or a boyfriend/girlfriend or date (4.3% of women) (2017b).

Lifting the Lid Cairns 2021 is calling on the sexual assault and domestic violence workforce in Far North Queensland to come together for a day of unique, insightful and engaging professional development on October 27.

The key topic of Lifting the Lid 2021 is Intimate Partner Sexual Violence – a critical issue with significant relevance to the Far North Qld community. Presenting speakers will explore the intersectionality of sexual violence within the scope of intimate partner violence. Additionally, presenters will speak to the issue as it impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and the LGBTQI community from a localised and national lens.

Lifting the Lid Cairns 2021 speakers include Jane Gilmore, Melbourne author of ‘Fixed It’; Dixie Link-Gordon who is the Founding Director of Mudgin-Gal Women’s Place, Domestic Violence Educator, First Nations Women’s Advocate in Sydney; Cairns Sexual Assault Service (CSAS) Counsellors Marta Barnes, Jasmin Forrester, Mandy Kliszewski, Crystal Ramic; and members of the CSAS Clinical and Education teams.

Sandra Keogh, CEO of Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service and Dr. Samantha Olliver, Senior Medical Officer from True Relationships & Reproductive Health, among others will share their expertise on the day.

Participants will enjoy networking opportunities and self-care workshop activities with a focus on strategies workers in the sector can use to care for themselves when working with trauma.

Further speakers and details to be announced soon.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Wed 27th October, 2021

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm
Venue: The Shangri-La Cairns

Tickets: $60.50+BF via Humanitix https://events.humanitix.com/lifting-the-lid

Lifting the Lid Cairns acknowledges the Traditional Land-Owners of the land on which we gather, the Gimuy Walubarra Yidinji Peoples. We pay our respects to Indigenous Elders Past, Present and Emerging. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Speakers:

Jane Gilmore
Jane Gilmore was the founding editor of The King’s Tribune. She has a Master of Journalism from the University of Melbourne and is now a freelance journalist and author, with a particular interest in feminism, media and data journalism.

Jane is the creator of the FixedIt campaign, which highlights victim blaming and erasure of male violence from news headlines. Her book FixedIt: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media was published by Penguin Random House in August 2019.

Dixie Link-Gordon
To enable vulnerable First Nations Women to find a safe environment in which to share their deeply personal stories, Dixie founded the Breaking Silent Codes Movement in 2018.
Dixie’s knowledge and extensive experience working for over 30 years in the human service sector specialising in sexual assault and family violence, brings valuable insight into this critical issue facing First Nations women.
Throughout her career, Dixie has developed and implemented original and effective approaches to gain access to justice for Aboriginal women and children. Dixie plans to continue her support through activating networks of women throughout NSW to work together to eliminate violence against women and their children.
Dixie has family ties to Far North Queensland and has lived in Cairns in the past.

Cairns Sexual Assault Service
CSAS Counsellors: Marta Barnes, Jasmin Forrester, Mandy Kliszewski, Crystal Ramic; and members of the CSAS On-Call, Clinical and Education teams.

CSAS will present on the topics of consent, sexuality and identity, healthy sex, and intimate-partner strangulation.
Cairns Sexual Assault Service (CSAS) provides a free and confidential service for anyone affected by sexual violence. We provide the following for those seeking support:

Information and support for victims/survivors of sexual violence and their non-offending partners, family members, carers, friends or support people
Face-to-face and telephone counselling
Referral and advocacy throughout police and legal processes
In-service, secondary consultation and resources for professionals working with anyone who has experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse
24-hour crisis support for anyone presenting at the Cairns Hospital Emergency Department or the police after a recent sexual assault
On-site clinical care, including STI checks, pregnancy testing and emergency contraception
Community education.

Sandra Keogh
Sandra is the Chief Executive Officer of the Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service and has been with the service for 15 years. Sandra has held a number of positions throughout her time and returned to the service after working for the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women as the Integration Manager for the domestic and family violence High Risk Team in Cairns. Sandra also held a casual position with Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia as a Men’s behaviour Change Counsellor in collaboration with the National Rugby League and their Secondary Prevention Counselling Program.

For enquiries, please contact:

Nicci Reid-Bell – Event Coordinator
+61 433 657 616
nicci.reid-bell@true.org.au