We hope that this email finds you well, particularly given how inescapable public discussions of sexual violence have been recently. While we will share some tips our team have found helpful below, we would like to take this opportunity to emphasise that our team of caseworkers can provide support and advocacy to Survivors nation-wide.
If you’re not sure how we can help, or if you want to talk about what has been going on for you, you can get in touch with our Casework Team on (03) 9940 1533 and leave a voicemail for us to reply to, or email [email protected].
If you are seeking urgent counselling, support or assistance outside of office hours, we have a list of useful 24/7 community helplines on our website. If you or someone you care about is ever in immediate danger, please call Emergency 000.
This newsletter provides a broad overview of some of our recent activities. As always, we do recommend reading it with care.
As usual, the start of 2021 has been incredibly busy. The IGFF office has had a packed schedule, holding events, expanding our team, providing feedback to the Joint Select Committee on the National Redress Scheme and other key policy-makers, and providing our crucial support and advocacy services.
We have welcomed new staff, some of whom will be introduced below. We’re particularly excited to have a number of new Caseworkers come onboard, whose experience and strengths – particularly in trauma-informed case management, crisis support and counselling – have already begun to support IGFF’s ability to respond to our clients and community.
As our office is located in Victoria, our team have also slowly begun to return to working face-to-face. This has been exciting, particularly as we plan for in person events and meetings, but the ongoing easing of restrictions can also be confronting.
Our team provide services remotely, so if you ever want to talk about what’s happening for you – or anything we cover in this newsletter – please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Introducing some of our new team members!
We are delighted to be able to announce some of the staff who recently joined IGFF, supplementing and strengthening our services into the future.
Vanessa Blazey, Caseworker
Vanessa comes from a counselling background, and has also worked with children and in the aged and disability sector. Her case management style is one of a collaborative, goal focused and practical welfare style. She is an empathetic caseworker who very interested in human rights, and ensuring the client is equipped and informed to make the best decisions to suit them. Vanessa is highly knowledgeable in suicide crisis support, and drug and alcohol work. She has been involved in the social work field as a volunteer and employee. She enjoys baking, creative writing, dogs and being in nature.
Julie Butler, Caseworker
Julie has worked in the family violence and sexual assault sector for 18 years, with particular experience in case management and therapeutic counselling.
Shyamala Benakovic, Senior Administrative Officer
Shyamala joined the In Good Faith Foundation team in February as our administrative officer. She comes to IGFF with experience in not-for-profit organisations, governance, office management, operations and administration. She current looks after all the administration needs of the organisation and supports management and staff with IT and administration.
Watch the Armies of Enablers Book Launch Online
At the start of this month, IGFF held the Australian book launch for Armies of Enablers: Survivor Stories of Complicity and Betrayal in Sexual Assaults by Professor Amos N. Guiora.
By talking about the stories of Survivors from USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University, Penn State University, The Ohio State University, and the Catholic Church, the book focuses on how the institutions and individuals allowed the abuse to happen. The event was able to speak about the shared experiences in American and Australian contexts, and how enabler-bystanders fail Survivors. As Professor Guiora writes:
Behind every high-profile sexual assault scandal, there’s an army of people whose decisions helped perpetuate the abuse
At the webinar, Professor Guiora discussed and read extracts from his book, and then participated in a discussion and Q&A session with our CEO Clare Leaney. We’re particularly grateful to everyone who participated, and the insightful questions that audience members shared and sent in.
