Get Adobe Flash player

Suicide

Sexual Violence, Activism and Justice

I attended this seminar and cried during the session.  Activism in these areas is essential and justice must not be seen to be but become the outcome despite legal constraints and evidence base.  We have to find ways to redress these issues to ensure women who survive this are protected and heard. It is time to break the silence.

Seminar recording: Online/offline sexual violence, activism and justice

Seminar recording: Online/offline sexual violence, activism and justice

The Online/offline: sexual violence, activism, and justice seminar was recorded on 25 November 2016. It draws together leading international and national scholars in the field of sexual violence to examine current practice, progress, and challenges in sexual violence justice and activism. In particular, the seminar investigates the role that online spaces are increasingly playing as sites of justice and activism for victim/survivors, and the interconnections and disconnects between virtual and ‘real life’ feminist praxis. Victim/survivors have successfully harnessed online to expose perpetrators, share their experiences, and to challenge dominant narratives of sexual violence.

Simultaneously, online spaces are sites of sexual harm and perpetration of sexual violence, and this may pose significant limitations to activist goals and the pursuit of justice. Online activism is often characterized as ‘slacktivism’, suggesting that there may be a lack of translation between online and offline activism and justice for sexual violence.

This event features a presentation from US-based activist, academic and survivor Dr Alissa Ackerman. Dr. Alissa R. Ackerman earned her doctorate in criminal justice in 2009, but began her journey to becoming a sex crimes expert ten years prior on the night she endured a violent rape. As a sex crimes policy researcher, Dr. Ackerman has spent the better part of the last decade studying sex offender management policies in the United States. She has written extensively on the topic, with her research appearing in some of the top academic journals in her field. Alissa was determined to remain silent about being a survivor, because she feared that her academic expertise would not be taken seriously. After 15 years of silence, Alissa began to realize the importance of speaking out. These early disclosures led her to understand the power of bridging the personal and professional. In this lecture, Alissa speaks about her research expertise on sex crimes policies and how it led to her advocacy and activism on survivor storytelling. She discusses the importance of survivor-centric and evidence-based criminal justice policies. Finally, Alissa shares insights from her personal journey of silence and shame to public, professional survivor and what that has meant for her academic career and personal life.

Dr Ackerman’s talk is followed by a panel discussion, facilitated by Dr Anastasia Powell, aiming to unpack current research and debates around sexual violence, activism, and justice.

Access the recording here.

Bullying Series Part 6: SPEAK UP About Suicide, Bullying, Toxic Culture and REAL HOPE

This video reveals a very candid discussion about suicide. It is an authentic discussion revealing issues we typically will not talk about. The information will expand on what you have thought about and extend beyond the typically narrow perspectives in the media.

It is the second video expanding more complex issues about suicide providing more information around the social issues around suicide. This video opens up real questions about what is democracy? The importance of values to unify people, the truth of equality, enlightenment, the adversarial legal system, lack of social support, stress, sorrow and pressure etc.

A Children’s Parliament is discussed to share a model highlighting humour and play, inclusivity, conflict resolution, values and creativity. She uses the example of climate change as a problem to be solved and providing a different way of seeing through REAL HOPE. This design could be modeled in enlightened companies or organisations that are focusing on working together for higher outcomes. But first we have to become authentic and be who we are.

Susan speaks about her experience in Russia with Dr. Patch Adams and the importance of starting a narrative on love. This word is never used in professional discourse yet it is the pink elephant in the room. It is the most important subject and it is what brings people together, produces happiness, healthy workplaces and will ensure stability to inspire people to stay happily in their workplace. Patch Adams travelled to Russia as a Peace strategy and to make a real difference. Clowns remind humanity of our true happiness.

This is for organisations that are seeking to genuinely engage in community development and honest dialogue. There has to be a genuine rethink about business and its impact on people and the planet.

Excellence will emerge from developing inclusive enlightened communities in workplaces and society.

Bullying Series Part 5: Do You Want to Suicide?

This discussion is about a personal disclosure, what it is like to want to suicide, what happens to cause suicide and how we are thinking. This video below provides different perspectives and offers new information on suicide.

Anyone thinking about this please do not do it, please listen to this video on Part 6, it will help you see the reality of it and to understand other options.