PRESS RELEASE: PLACE OF COURAGE DINNER: First of its kind project In Australia
As the first of its kind, The Place of Courage will reflect Adelaide’s leading role in the arts and its recognised status as a global Creative City, as well as providing leadership to councils across South Australia.
WHEN: 6.30pm Monday 4th November 2019
WHERE: AFRICOLA Restaurant, 4 East Terrace, Adelaide
Developed by Spirit of Woman, a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for gender equality and a future free from family and domestic violence, the project aims to commemorate the traumatic impact on individuals, families and communities, raise awareness and further the dialogue for change through the use of public art, design, landscaping and interpretive opportunities.
Our guest speakers include:
The Honourable Diana Bryant AO,QC – Spirit of Woman PATRON,
Julian Burnside AO, QC (Human Rights Lawyer)
Angela Lynch AM (CEO Women’s Legal Service Queensland):
• Is it a human right to live safe and free from violence?
• Are our family laws and policies failing domestic violence victims and their children?
• Should we be adopting a DV risk and safety framework to advance the rights and protections of children and adults in the family law system?
“Most of us have fairly happy lives: we live in a country that is rich and comfortable, and almost as good as it could be. But it is a country dominated by men, and some men imagine that they are better than women. Some men are violent. For most of us – especially for men – it is hard to imagine what life is like living in thrall to a person who regards you as his worthless chattel. Until all men develop enough empathy to understand the reality which oppresses some women, we will continue being less than we could be.” Julian Burnside AO, QC
“I am honoured to be asked to speak at this dinner to raise funds for the Place of Courage, such a wonderful and unique concept that will assist many survivors in their healing journey. I am also truly humbled to be speaking alongside such auspicious speakers as Julian Burnside QC and the Honourable Diana Bryant. We are hoping the discussion will elicit some courageous dialogue and new ideas to help take the community conversation forward about responding to violence against women in Australia”. Angela Lynch AM (CEO Women’s Legal Service Queensland)
The one thing that has proved immutable in my 40 year career in family law is the statistic that a woman is killed violently by a man every week; all too frequently children are also murdered by their parents. The challenge for family courts is to devise a system which better predicts those parents who are likely to harm their children and thus protect them from harm. What will it take to achieve that ? The Honourable Diana Bryant AO,QC
Following extensive public consultation, project development and fundraising over the past two years, public artists Christine Cholewa and Deb Jones (CHEB) were selected and the ‘Ripples’ design (see below) was created with grant support from the City of Adelaide and the State Government through Arts South Australia.
BACKGROUND
Helen Oxenham endured a horrific childhood at the hands of her father who, in Dublin in Ireland, was ‘a street angel and home devil’ whose battered wife was told by priests it was her ‘cross to bear’.
In the 1970s, having migrated to Australia and settled in Christies Beach raising three children, Helen met abused women seeking refuge, bringing memories of her own experiences back to the surface. She determined to fight for the rest of her life for an end to the violence.
“Too many women have died at the hands of abusive partners,” says Helen. “Many more have suffered and continue to suffer loss of freedom and loss of identity.
“We need a place to honour family violence victims and survivors and to help us break the cycle. In creating this community space, a peaceful place of comfort and healing, we can encourage survivors of family violence to speak up and speak out.”
International Women’s Day, 2016, was a catalyst for Helen to call for a commemorative sculpture to be erected in the centre of Adelaide honouring the woman that have died through domestic violence as well as a statue in Christies Beach to honour the women working on the front line of this issue.
“I want to see both sculptures before I die so that there is someone for other women to go so they can feel that we have sisters. While my sisters aren’t free, neither am I.”
Read more of Helen’s story and vision on the Spirit of Woman website.
Contact: Heather Oxenham on 0419 926 456
Helen Oxenham Heather Oxenham
Spirit of Woman Founder Project Manager
