The founder of survivor of child sexual abuse support organisation Loud Fence is hoping St Kilda Football Club's support of community ribbon tying on a sports oval fence will set a new precedent.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Community members will tie ribbons on the fence of Moorabbin Oval on Sunday to acknowledge the historical sexual abuse of children in the St Kilda Football Club.
Nearby schools will also be involved in the Loud Fence project.
Founder of Ballarat's Loud Fence movement Maureen Hatcher said St Kilda Football Club, as a large and well-known club, was setting a precedent in acknowledging historical child sexual assault.
"I am hoping it will set a precedent and perhaps other sporting clubs and other organisations may follow suit," she said.
"It means a lot to survivors and to their families... that there is an acknowledgement that it happened and the St Kilda Football Club is taking measures to ensure it doesn't happen again."
It was revealed last year St Kilda Football Club's Little League team was infiltrated by paedophile coaches for more than a decade in the 1960s and 70s.
I am hoping it will set a precedent and perhaps other sporting clubs and other organisations may follow suit.
- Maureen Hatcher, Loud Fence
This month St Kilda Football Club announced support services for survivors of childhood sexual abuse at the club through a partnership with the In Good Faith Foundation, which will offer independent counselling.
St Kilda Football Club chief executive Matt Finnis said the charter was the result of the club educating itself on how to respond to survivors in safe and trauma informed ways.
"We want to be proactive in providing support wherever practicable, but we also understand the natural hesitancy which might exist in survivors engaging with the club," he said in a statement.
"We hope that by partnering with In Good Faith Foundation we can provide a safe place for survivors to tell their story, be heard, and connected with practical support and care."
Loud Fence started in Ballarat during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the grassroots movement has since spread around the world.
The original Loud Fence was formed at the front fence of the former St Alipius Boys' School site in Victoria Street in May 2015.
Community members were invited to tie bright coloured ribbons as a show of support for victims and survivors of child abuse at the school and other institutions.
Ms Hatcher said more survivors were speaking out and more organisations were finding out there were cases of child sexual abuse in the past.
"It is really pleasing to know so many of them actually want to acknowledge that and do something to show the survivors that they support them," she said.
Beaumaris and Surrounding Communities CSA Survivors and Families group have organised with Loud Fence to tie ribbons as a show of support and acknowledgement on Sunday.
St Kilda Football Club, Beaumaris Primary School, Beaumaris North Primary School, and Haileybury College -Castlefield in Brighton are supporting the tying of coloured ribbons on their fences.
Ms Hatcher said the Loud Fence movement remained grassroots driven.
"I think it will be quite emotional down there on Sunday. It sounds like there are quite a lot of people who haven't been able to go to that location for a very long time," she said.
In Good Faith Foundation staff will be at the Loud Fence events on Sunday to provide support.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
