BALLARAT residents will march from the Ballarat Law Courts to the Ballarat Town Hall on Friday to show support for clergy sex abuse victims and survivors.
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Residents will gather at noon at the Grenville Street courthouse and walk to the Sturt Street median strip to join the Survivors of Suicide White Wreath Day memorial service.
It will be held on the final day of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearings in Ballarat, with a second lot of hearings scheduled for later this year.
The march has been organised by Loud Fence, an initiative created to show support to Ballarat survivors and their families.
Loud Fence spokeswoman Maureen Hatcher said people had initially been encouraged to tie a colourful ribbon onto the former St Alipius Christian Brothers’ boys’ school fence in Victoria Street.
But she said the Loud Fence Facebook page had since “gone wild”, with ribbons tied on Westminster Abbey in London, in Bali, across Queensland and NSW and throughout Ballarat.
She said Loud Fence was a way for people to share and receive support even if they weren’t in the area.
“Victims have made comments on this page as to how this has given them support to continue on with what has been a harrowing week speaking out at the royal commission,” Ms Hatcher said.
She said the march was the community’s way of letting survivors know Ballarat was behind them.
“That’s been the crux of this whole disaster, that children weren’t listened to and they just weren’t supported, so it’s time to support them now and give them a voice. It is time to break the silence.”
Ms Hatcher is encouraging everyone taking part to carry or wear LOUD (bright) colourful ribbons or flags. Children are welcome.
Details can be found on the Loud Fence Facebook page at facebook.com/loudfence.