Work to create a permanent memorial to abuse survivors in Ballarat could become a benchmark for other places, Loud Fence organiser Maureen Hatcher hopes.
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The question over an ongoing memorial surfaced again this week, after an unidentified man removed ribbons from the fence of St Patrick's Cathedral in central Ballarat on Tuesday. The ribbons, part of the Loud Fence campaign which symbolises solidarity with survivors, were replaced later that day.
The incident led to several inquiries about creating a lasting monument - a process that is in fact currently under way with the Continuous Voices project.
Ms Hatcher is a founder of Loud Fence, a movement which has now been replicated at many other sites around the world. She sits on the Continuous Voices reference group, which is being facilitated by the City of Ballarat.
Artist-led workshops are already being held to inspire and nurture ideas for a memorial, which will be designed to acknowledge all sexual abuse survivors rather than being limited to one particular institution.
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It will take time for the exact details of the memorial to be decided, Ms Hatcher told The Courier.
"It is a slow process but it needs to be a slow process. My hope would be we get this right, and other cities and towns could go down the same path. It might be a very good model that would work elsewhere."
My hope would be we get this right, and other cities and towns could go down the same path.
- Maureen Hatcher, Loud Fence
Blake Curran, the son of a survivor, provided momentum for the project when he put out a call for funding in 2019. That prompted a renewed focus on a process to find a way to establish a permanent memorial.
Once collaborative workshops have taken place, a site will be decided and an artist or designer commissioned.
"What comes out of those will determine what that memorial will be," Ms Hatcher said, who described the workshops as "a really safe environment."
"We really don't know what it will look like at this stage or where it will be."
- To find out about the project, and to participate in the workshops, see https://creativeballarat.com.au/continuousvoices. Anyone who has been impacted by abuse is encouraged to take part.
- Affected by this story? There is help available.You can phone the Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault, in Sebastopol, on 5320 3933, or free-call the crisis care line 24 hours on 1800 806 292.Or phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380, or Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277.
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