 Sexual violence is a really hidden issue in our community and has been for a very long time, but what we know is that it's a really real issue. It's not a rare issue and when we look at statistics, one in three women will have experienced sexual violence by the age of 15 that we start to see that actually this is something that we need to talk about. For a victim, they sometimes have a lot of self-blame. They think that it could have been something they did or something they said or that they actually liked the attention at the time that it was happening. And it's not until later that they have a realisation and it could be even just a trigger that happens that they've gone actually no, that isn't correct, that wasn't the right thing to happen, that was actually wrong. Quite often that fear of not being believed is one of the biggest barriers. So for people to be able to come to a space where they are believed, where they're seen for who they are and the strengths that they have, is one of those really important parts of actually healing. Because they have a lot of that self-blame. So for us it's also validating, no this was wrong, you were put in a position that you couldn't prevent. One of the misconceptions probably is when people come out to seek support is that they're going to have to talk in great detail about their experience and actually that's not the case. We really want to know about how it's impacting them and the ways that we can support and help them so that they can move forward. It can be so challenging to just put your foot through the door to talk about what happened to you. The decision to report always remains their choice. There are a number of options available, whether it's a formal complaint which they can make in person or online or where they can provide information about the assault and remain anonymous. So that information can be a healing process for them but it can also assist police to prevent further offences happening in the future. Centres against sexual violence provide free information, advocacy and counselling to people who've experienced sexual assault or sexual violence really at any time in their lives and sometimes we don't even need to know your real name, you don't need a Medicare card or a referral to access support around an experience of sexual assault. The smallest and shortest conversations can make a real difference. The process could help you to move forward with your life and heal from what's happened to you. It's only when we start to speak out and share our experiences that we see that we're all in this together and that actually the only person to blame for that experience is the offender. What happened to you is wrong, you're not to blame, you're not alone, support is available and if you choose to report then police who are experienced, who are supportive can make a real impact on your life and your healing journey.