Whether it was a genuine oversight or an act of goodwill with unintended consequences, one thing is clear: the law silencing sexual abuse survivors must change.
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In news that seemed to shock all of Victoria during the week, it was revealed that it was now illegal for victims of sexual abuse to share their story publicly if their perpetrator had been found guilty of the crime.
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No longer could brave people put their name and face to a story detailing the horrors they had endured.
Once again, they were silenced.
This was not some archaic law that had been outdated by the modern world. Rather, it was a law introduced in February, 2020.
Let that sink in for a minute.
It should be noted those wishing to tell their story can still apply through the court to be allowed to do so, but such rigmarole is the last thing we should be asking of such people.
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Their lives have already been impacted enough without having to go through the difficult and often costly court process.
One of the most powerful actions a sexual abuse survivor can undertake is to speak out and tell their story.
It's not for everybody to do and in no way is this newspaper suggesting that all survivors follow suit.
By stifling survivor's voices, we are effectively erasing years of progress.
Just imagine being told your story no longer deserved to be heard.
Sadly, those words mean nothing unless the law is changed.
We need to give all survivors (and not just those who suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church) their voice back before they feel silenced forever.
