Community Projects
New Project to help women heal after DV
In 2026, I've begun a new participatory action research project which will amplify lived experience voices to improve the safety of women at public events that relate to DV. Some work has already been done, but more is needed - and I'm taking it on as a major project.
Background
Attending DFV-related events can be powerful and validating for survivors. But these spaces can unintentionally create distress or re-trigger trauma. Without trauma-informed planning and a deep understanding of what survivors need to feel safe, community vigils etc can leave participants feeling overwhelmed, exposed, or retraumatised. If you live in the city, you may be accustomed to major DV organisations leading such events in a trauma informed way - but that's not the case across the country.
As many of you know, I am heavily involved in action and advocacy for women, especially around DFV. Earlier this year I became increasingly aware that survivors regularly become re-traumatised / triggered at community events that raise awareness about DV (eg Vigils). I sought, but couldn't find any guidelines that could assist organisers to ensure trauma informed safe, experiences at such events.
Feeling the urgency to get ahead of DV Prevention Month in May, I drew on trauma informed sources and applied a survivor lens to create a fairly basic Community Guide to Trauma Informed Events with the support of my colleagues in the Women's Action & Advocacy Team (WAAT). We distributed this across the Southern Downs and have had a really positive response wherever it has been shared. But was it enough?
Next steps
We need to broaden and amplify the voice of survivors, and understand more about how such community events can contribute to whole-of-community changes in the primary prevention, intervention and post-vention recovery of victim-survivors. This participatory research project would produce an organiser's guide to trauma informed events, animated by lived experience stories from survivors. Not just a checklist of 'do nots', but also a spotlight on what can be genuinely helpful and life-giving.
-
Gather stories from survivors about their experiences of community events - the good, the bad and the uncomfortable.
- Analyse the learnings, retaining the clear voices of survivors.
- Produce the guide and distribute widely - beyond core DV org's, and to grassroots community organisations that may be seeking to amplify DV messages.
For this project I will need collaborators across the sectors:
Survivors (and survivor led organisations) willing to share their event experiences - with the guarantee of anonymity.
Helping professionals - Psychologists, counsellors, social workers who have worked with survivors.
DV Sector professionals with a shared interest in the project - collaborators.
Research academics in the field of trauma and DFV and/or SA.
Passionate project sponsors to assist with expenses.
If you are interested in following this journey, or aware of connections that could assist with the project, please reach out to me via suehamletfledge@gmail.com - or via my contact page - I would love to hear from you.
-----
More about The Community Guide to Trauma Informed Events (currently in circulation)
The Guide is a short term answer to a yawning gap in practice. It brings together sector evidence and lived experience insights to support practical, real-world planning, including:
- recognising and responding to participant distress
- clear communication about available supports
- accessibility and inclusion in event design
- trauma-informed approaches that centre dignity, safety, and lived experience
Please email waat.sdowns@gmail.com if you would like a copy of the current Guide.