Ribbons of Reflection in Launceston

Media release – Bridget Archer, Federal Member for Bass, 1 September 2023

Ribbons of Reflection event

The Launceston community gathered in Civic Square today for Ribbons of Reflection, an event in acknowledgment of the delivery of the Commission of Inquiry Report into Child Sexual Abuse.

Supporters and loved ones stood together in solidarity for victim-survivors including those who gave evidence to the inquiry with the report to be tabled to Parliament later this month.

Laurel House CEO Kathryn Fordyce said her organisation created the event in collaboration with the Northern Suburbs Community Centre and with the support of local members of parliament to mark the end of the Inquiry.

“While the work of the Commission has been critical, it has been a challenging time for victim-survivors and their supporters,” Ms Fordyce said.

“Ribbons of Reflection is an idea directly from a victim-survivor and Laurel House was honoured to lead the group who have brought it to fruition.

“The ribbons signify giving victim-survivors a voice and an opportunity for the public to acknowledge that voice.

“It is important that the community can come together to recognise the resilience of victim-survivors and to reflect on the role that every member of the community, and especially our Government, needs to play in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.”

The event has received multi-partisan support from Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer, Senator Tammy Tyrrell, Lara Alexander and Michelle O’Byrne.

“Events like Ribbons for Reflection are critical to bring visibility to the issue and support victim-survivors,” Mrs Archer said.

“We need to reinforce in the community that the only people responsible for abuse of any kind, including child sexual abuse, are perpetrators,” she said.

“My hope is that when people see the Ribbons of Reflection they pause and think about how we can build a better society, where children are never exposed to such abuse,” Ms Alexander added.

The report is due to be released publicly on 26 September.