An Australian-first memorial to honour sexual abuse survivors in Ballarat will receive $500,000 under a re-elected Labor government.
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![Ember Parkin, Trevor, Blake Curran, Juliana Addison (Labor candidate for Wendouree, Maureen Hatcher and Sarah Jane Hall. Picture by Kate Healy
Ember Parkin, Trevor, Blake Curran, Juliana Addison (Labor candidate for Wendouree, Maureen Hatcher and Sarah Jane Hall. Picture by Kate Healy](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/alexander.ford/0a97fd6d-2678-4af2-95eb-380b209f4938.JPG/r0_0_3696_2456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The government made the pledge on Friday to help build the memorial at Victoria Park, near the lake adjacent to Plane Avenue.
The $1.5 million community art project will be designed to recognise the pain and trauma caused by all forms of sexual violence and provide a space to support healing.
Ballarat's Continuous Voices, a project for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse and others affected by trauma, has been strongly advocating for a permanent memorial to signify healing and hope for about five years.
More than 50 survivors and supporters have worked with the group's community reference group and artists to contribute creative research that will inform the memorial design.
Continuous Voices' Blake Curran welcomed the funding promise, saying the memorial would further bring the community together in the space of public art, memorial and reflection.
"It's significant for the whole community, past and present and also the future," Mr Curran said.
"It will be a space that will provide family, friends, children, grandchildren and everyone to come along. As we have known through the research, nature is massive in the world of wellbeing, to improve wellbeing, so being here in elements of the bush - the trees, the grass and water - it's all very reflective and peaceful.
![Continuous Voices' Blake Curran. Continuous Voices' Blake Curran.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/HGEQmb32Jrb7fFYffAPJvy/5b3556f8-872d-42b6-9f68-922b51f1d4ce.JPG/r0_0_4928_3280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think that will create a beautiful space for everyone to come together at times and hopefully for annual events."
Mr Curran said having a space for a memorial would give people an opportunity to acknowledge their own past and educate others.
"The voices that we have lost in the past we can continue to voice for their concerns and make sure the kids of today and tomorrow are protected but it's also a chance for the children of today to acknowledge what has happened and to talk about it," he said.
Sexual abuse survivor Trevor, who did not want his surname published, said the important part of the project for him was hope.
"Whatever happens here oozes out and becomes hope for anybody who is needing that hope, that acknowledgement that this is real, this is not just made up memories, that survivors are believed and a lovely place for peace. To me it's more about the acknowledgement of hope, the end," Trevor said.
Member for Wendouree and candidate Juliana Addison said a re-elected Andrews Labor government would support Ballarat's Continuous Voices memorial.
![The planned memorial site at Victoria Park. The planned memorial site at Victoria Park.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/HGEQmb32Jrb7fFYffAPJvy/158027eb-c0a9-4a49-89e1-c8857609b11f.JPG/r0_189_3696_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She described the memorial as an Australian-first public art space for all survivors of sexual abuse and facilitate healing and hope.
"To all victims and survivors of sexual abuse, we see you, we hear you and we believe you," Ms Addison said.
The City of Ballarat has committed $520,000 to the project and is seeking federal government funding.
The council has listed the project as a tier two priority project for advocacy, stating a memorial would "provide an opportunity to deepen community understanding of the tragic consequences and intergenerational trauma that come from sexual abuse".
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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