#WalkWithHer
The #WalkWithHer Campaign was launched in March 2020 to show solidarity with older women who are sexually assaulted. The Campaign raises awareness of the following facts:
By joining the Campaign you are helping us to send the message to older women that they have the right to be heard. You are also helping us to raise awareness of the importance of listening to older women. The Campaign will continue until the end of March.
This Campaign links into our project #InHerShoes, where we are documenting the responses to older women who report sexual assault. Collectively the project and campaign ask Australians to Walk With Older Women - In Her Shoes.
- Older women who report sexual assault are often discredited
- Women with dementia are targeted by perpetrators who understand the women will not be believed
- There were over 700 reports of sexual assault in residential aged care in the past year
- Sexual assault was not addressed in the interim report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care
- In additional to sexual assault in residential aged care - older women are sexually assaulted in their own homes by intimate partners, other family members and strangers
- Too many service providers believe that responding to sexual assault is not their responsibility
- Older women (and their advocates) report few people are listening
- The lives of older women who are sexually assaulted can be transformed by those who listen.
By joining the Campaign you are helping us to send the message to older women that they have the right to be heard. You are also helping us to raise awareness of the importance of listening to older women. The Campaign will continue until the end of March.
This Campaign links into our project #InHerShoes, where we are documenting the responses to older women who report sexual assault. Collectively the project and campaign ask Australians to Walk With Older Women - In Her Shoes.
Petition
The Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in Aged Care has released its interim report - and sexual assault is not addressed. A number of submissions on sexual assault have been made - check The OPAL Institute's submission here.
The Older Women's Network, NSW have a petition to ask the Royal Commission to address sexual assault. The petition has over 10,000 signatures already. Please consider signing the petition here.
Shoes
On this section of the page we will create a gallery of the shoes that have been shared with us on social media and by email. Click on the photographs and social media screen shots below to scroll through them.
Our Ambassadors
We have approached a number of community leaders to be Ambassadors for the Campaign. Thank you to Senator Helen Polley for being our first Ambassador. More information coming soon ...
- Senator Helen Polley. Chair of Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills. Senator for Tasmania
- Ms Ged Kearney MP
- Jill Bolen, Advocate
Want more information?
This Campaign is part of the Power Project, a National project to prevent the sexual assault of older women. There are a dozen pages of information you can read by clicking the link here.
In the media
Thankyou to all the journalists and writers who covered this important work to help raise awareness of the sexual assault of older women
Contact the Team
If you would like more information please contact:
- Project coordinator Dr Catherine Barrett on 0429582237 or email: [email protected]
- Older Women's Network, New South Wales on [email protected]
Campaign Partners
The #WalkWithHer Campaign is a partnership of the Power Project, with the Older Women's Network of New South Wales and is part of a strategy that has been developed by the OPAL Institute in partnership with the Australian Association of Gerontology. If you would like to join our campaign please contact us using the details below.
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