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PANEL: Interactive Youth Focused Panel with Australian Youth Advocates

Tuesday, November 26, 2024
8:40 AM - 9:50 AM
Room 1

Overview

Moderator: Katherine Berney, Executive Director, National Women's Safety Alliance and Hannah Taylor, Researcher University of Queensland Panellists: Harrison James, Your Reference Ain't Relevant Campaign Sarah Williams, What Were You Wearing Australia Anna Coutts-Trotter, The Survivor Hub


Details

An interactive panel featuring Australian youth advocates who transform lived experiences into impactful advocacy, influencing public policy. Discover innovative approaches to engaging youth and empowering victim-survivor advocates to shape unique public policies. Explore how personal experiences can drive leadership and create tangible societal change.


Speaker

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Ms Anna Coutts-Trotter
Cofounder and Director
The Survivor Hub

PANEL: Interactive Youth Focused Panel with Australian Youth Advocates

Biography

Anna Coutts-Trotter (she/her) is a survivor-advocate based on Gadigal Land. Anna experienced domestic and sexual violence as a young person. With this lived experience, the 23-year-old co-founded The Survivor Hub (TSH) - a charity that provides holistic peer support to survivors of sexual assault through MeetUps. MeetUps are located across New South Wales, Victoria and online. They’re safe spaces for survivors to connect, vent, and share expertise. Anna experienced an isolating court process and so was inspired to create TSH to empower connection between survivors. Through TSH and her other avenues of advocacy, Anna aims to support survivors in their healing and recovery process through a safe, survivor-led environment. Anna has just finished a Bachelor of Arts and Social Work at the University of Sydney. She also works in disability support, with young people and in aged care. She was recognised for her work with TSH in 2023, being named Westfield Eastgardens Local Hero. She is an ambassador for National Survivors Day and has worked with Full Stop Australia, Bumble, NSW Government and others.
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Harrison James
Survivor, Activist, and Co-Founder
Your Reference Ain't Relevant Campaign

PANEL: Interactive Youth Focused Panel with Australian Youth Advocates

Biography

Harrison James is a survivor, award-winning activist, and Co-Founder of the acclaimed #YourReferenceAintRelevant campaign. After being sexually abused by his stepmother from the ages of 13 to 16, Harrison has become driven by his personal experiences and is dedicated to reforming Australia's legal system for survivors. For years he carried the weight of this secret in silence but now, at 24 years old, his tireless activism fuels legislative reform and spotlights survivor-led initiatives, showcasing resilience and determination in pursuit of justice and healing. His extraordinary journey has been a beacon of hope for countless individuals and his unwavering commitment inspires a safer world for all.
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Sarah Williams
Founder
What Were You Wearing Australia

PANEL: Interactive Youth Focused Panel with Australian Youth Advocates

Biography

Sarah Williams is a proud Awabakal woman and Founder and CEO of What Were You Wearing Australia (WWYW), a not-for-profit organisation fighting to end sexual violence. In 2023, Sarah led a nightlife safety campaign where she collected more than 20,000 signatures on a petition to the NSW Government. This resulted in mandated drink spiking education for all venue and bar staff in NSW, amending Responsible Service of Alcohol laws. In January 2024, Sarah also successfully amended the ACT RSA too. WWYW has attracted more than 300,000 followers on social media, where it shares information on sexual violence, consent, and human rights issues. In april 2024, Sarah led and organised the No More National Rallies, with over 30 different locations across Australia. This saw the Prime Minister declaring violence against women a national emergency and her work provoked an immediate National cabinet meeting. These rallies saw a $925 million commitment to dfsv. In July 2024, Sarah helped organise the rallies again which saw the NT government commit $180 million to dfsv because of the rallies. She is now campaigning for Mandatory Trauma Informed Training for First Responders across Australia. In recognition of her work, she was named Newcastle Woman of the Year 2023, won the Community Service Award at the NSW/ACT Young Achiever Awards 2023, was a finalist in the Australian Human Rights Awards – Young People’s Award 2023 and was a finalist of the NSW Young Woman of the Year Awards!
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