Victim-Survivor Support Advocate
By acknowledging the existence of sexual violence and understanding its impact, together we can build a future where everyone feels safe, supported, and empowered to speak up.
I invite you to help change the conversation about sexual violence.
I’m also putting myself out there in public and corporate settings, offering keynotes and workshop sessions that provide practical ideas about how we can all contribute to this vital change.
In 2024 I was deeply honoured to be the keynote impact speaker at the annual Dance for Daniel in Brisbane to support the important work of the Daniel Morecombe Foundation, and to speak at TedEx Springwood, near Sydney.
These forums gave me the chance to not only share my story of how I sought and achieved justice and found some peace, but enabled me to offer up strategies for how we can support, rather than silence, victim-survivors.
If you’d like me to speak at your next event or function, please get in contact. My Wisdom of Survivors website also contains a wealth of information, including links to support services.
Until recently, most people in my life wouldn’t have known that I experienced sexual violence as a child. Back then, the issue was swept under the carpet.
My coping strategy was to be a hard worker, a perfectionist, compliant and beyond criticism – in a bid to suppress the shame — shame that wasn’t mine to own.
After becoming a parent, I felt overwhelmed by the enormity and injustice of what had happened to me. Yet, for many reasons, it still took me many years to take this matter to the police.
Having recently achieved a guilty verdict through the courts — nearly 40 years after being raped — I’m now determined to do all I can to help alleviate the suffering of those who have experienced similar traumatic events. I also hope that open conversations will help prevent this crime from occurring to others.
That’s why I started the Wisdom of Survivors project, to reduce the social stigma by shining a light on this dark topic. In developing a Wisdom of Survivors book and podcast I plan to highlight many people’s stories, including my own, about the journey to recovery … to share what’s worked when trying to heal seemingly unfixable wounds, and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit when overcoming adversity.
Shine a Light on Change and Empower Survivors
Join Jenny Steadman in transforming conversations about sexual violence and creating a safer, more supportive future for all.