The woman was abused by teacher at Macarthur Street Primary School during the 1950s and 60s. She returned to the Soldiers Hill school last week to tie ribbons to symbolise her abuse. 

But she was left reeling after the ribbons were stripped from the gates of the school.  

The gesture was part of the city’s Loud Fence movement an initiative where ribbons are tied to fences in support victims of abuse. 

Following social media outrage new ribbons were tied to the school gates at the weekend.

But by Monday morning they had been removed again.

It comes days after Catholic schools across the city vowed to join the campaign before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearings in Ballarat on February 22. 

The survivor who sought anonymity, made a submission to the child sex abuse inquiry in 2014.

She took to the Loud Fence Facebook page to voice her sadness.

She believed she was targeted by a male teacher at the school because her mother was terminally ill and her father was an alcoholic. 

She detailed how the years of abuse almost crippled her.

“My experience has had the ability to infiltrate all facets of my adult life in a negative way,” she posted.

After the ribbons were removed a second time, Loud Fence crusader Lou Ridsdale began tying more ribbons. She was joined by others from across the city.

They didn’t stop until the gates of the school were completely covered.

But they were left deflated on Monday morning after all the ribbons had been ripped down again.

Members of Ms Ridsdale’s own family were abused at the hands of her uncle, disgraced priest and convicted paedophile Gerald Ridsdale. 

She said she felt fear was driving the school's resistance.

"It's a tricky situation for some schools which may caused discomfort and that's unfortunate," Ms Ridsdale said. "But they're being given a great opportunity to be leaders and do what they do best... educating children. It should be about educating children on the evils of abuse and how to prevent it."

Loud Fence creator Maureen Hatcher said Ballarat’s dark history of child sex abuse had been hidden for too long. She said supporting victims and protecting the innocence of future generations of children was at the heart of the entire movement.

“There has been too much silence,” Ms Hatcher said. “We need to talk about child sexual assault. We need to talk to children about child sexual assault. Schools need to lead the way. We need programs in all schools regarding sexual assault so children can receive age appropriate information.”

She said ribbons on a fence didn’t always mean abuse had occurred at the institution.

“It merely means that person or organisation cares,” Ms Hatcher said. “It has never been about protest or us and them. The ribbons give survivors hope and courage and shows families of victims they are not alone.” 

She said the survivor was one of many victims who have returned to the institution were they were abused to tie a ribbon.

“It gives them strength,” she said. “Ribbons are a part of the healing process.”

School council president, Sharon Kitt, said when the ribbons first began appearing the school had been unaware of the purpose of the movement behind them and there had been no time to determine how to address the complex issue with children.

She said the school council, principal Andy Blackwell and a Victorian Department of Education representative would meet with Ms Hatcher to determine how the school could acknowledge the abuse in a way that would not upset current pupils, families and staff.

Victorian Department of Education spokesman Steve Tolley said the meeting was welcomed by the department.

Since the Loud Fence was established it has gone global with ribbons tied across Australia, London, Bali, New York, Boston and gates at The Vatican in Rome.