There is a difference between making space in conversation for more survivor voices (by addressing the structures which silence survivors) & morally obligating survivors to share by suggesting that cultural change can only be born of survivor stories.

#LetHerSpeak #LetUsSpeak

#MeToo never achieved much in Australia beyond mere awareness raising precisely because it put all the onus on survivors to share and share and share... Assuming that that alone would create change.

While there are benefits to awareness raising, this alone doesn't produce change. Worse, it tends to task the wrong people with work by creating a moral expectation (& a focus) on survivors constantly reliving their trauma & bearing their scars in public in the name of education.

Ironically, not only does this task the wrong people with work (& even shame those who can't speak ) it actually obscures /pulls focus from the barriers at play, by putting the onus of responsibility onto survivors to share & share & share.

This is not empowering.

Instead of expecting survivors to educate others, through commodifying their own pain for 'our' consumption, we must examine our own responsibilities to author change.

As a public survivor and survivor advocate I will ALWAYS stand with survivors who speak out. And those who don't.

What I won't do, is perpetuate the dangerous myth that the answers to sexual violence prevention lie in survivors having to constantly offer up their stories.

We owe survivors so much more. We must turn the problem over and look at what we - the community - can do to produce change by working in solidarity. We must critically examine our responsibilities and failings.

There is much work to be done.