Healing Groups Launched For Local Sexual Violence Survivors

BY JORDAN REGNIS 

Newcastle not-for-profit organisation 'What Were You Wearing?' has announced it's new free support services available for survivors of sexual violence.

It involves healing groups, which will be monitored by a counsellor or registered psychologist, helping survivors to come together, connect, learn healing techniques, and encourage emotional safety.

Founder Sarah Williams says, "as of October last year, Newcastle didn't have any support services for victims of sexual violence".

"Trained professionals are able to offer support, but they're also able to ensure that everyone's boundaries and confidentiality is respected."

"The first healing technique focuses on journaling and the importance of this."

To register for What Were You Wearing's Healing Groups you can head to their website.

Image: Supplied

20,000 Signatures Makes History

BY DANEIE GEDDES

Newcastle Woman of the Year, Sarah Williams, has become one the youngest people in NSW to have a petition debated in state parliament. 

The 22-year-old What Were You Wearing founder has successfully reached 20,000 signatures on a petition to mandate training on drink spiking and sexual violence. 

Sarah said the team worked for weeks to spread the petition through the local community and across the state. 

"I'm immensely proud of the team for their efforts in pushing the petition," she said. 

"My younger self would never have imagined something like this. The campaign hasn't been easy, but it's been through the overwhelming help of the community that I've been able to push through." 

The petition aims to reform RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) training to ensure all security and bar staff at nightclubs are properly trained in drink spiking and sexual violence prevention. 

What Were You Wearing Media Vice President, Marcie Cheers, said it's just the first step in a long road ahead. 

"We've definitely hit some amazing goals, but its not over yet, it's over to the politicians now to decide the fate of drink spiking and sexual assault training," she said. 

The not-for-profit organisation has been pushing to reform RSA training in licensed venues across NSW and the Hunter since 2021, and launched the petition at the end of last year. 

Sarah said the What Were You Wearing team is amazed by the support of the community and is excited to move forward with the next step. 

"This petition will save lives, and we plan to embed on a national level very soon," she said. 

It's expected the petition will be debated in Parliament sometime in June.  

Advocate and Victim Survivor Named Newcastle Local Woman of the Year

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

What Were You Wearing? (WWYW) founder Sarah Williams has been named as the 2023 Newcastle Local Woman of the Year.

A victim-survivor herself, Sarah has organised rallies attended by thousands of people, has collected more than 20,000 stories from survivors, organsied the first ever survivor advocates group within universities, and aired the first ever exhibition on sexual assault awareness in Australia. 

It also comes after WWYW recently launched a state-wide campaign to tackle drink spiking across the Hunter and NSW, backed by Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp. 

Ms Williams said he is hopeful her work is making change possible. 

"You don't really see people like myself getting awards or getting recognised, so I think the award is not only for me, but it's for all survivors," she said. 

Ms Williams also said there's still more to be done in the domestic violence space, and has plans to start survival workshops, as well as a once-a-week helpline for victims.