Senator Penny Wong's Heartfelt Tribute to Helen Oxenham:
Honoring Her Dedication to Women's Rights
On August 15th during the Senate live proceedings Senator Penny Wong made a heartfelt tribute and public acknowledgement to the many years of dedicated service of our beloved founder Helen Oxenham.
Penny summarised Helen's background and her work that created a safer world for women and children who have experienced domestic violence.
We are very appreciative to Penny for her public acknowledgement and are delighted to share her tribute with you.
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Know the stats,
They’re shocking but true.
One in six woman had experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous cohabiting partner since the age of 15.
One in six woman have experienced violence since age of 15 from a family member.
In 2022 - 2023…
One woman was killed every 11 days.
17 women a day are hospitalised from domestic violence.
Almost 700 reports of domestic violence are reported to police every day.*
You can help to make a difference.
Why we need The Place of Courage ?
Watch the video
Our Mission
Our mission is to commission The Place of Courage memorial at Tulya Wardli/Bonython Park, from which all the ‘Ripples’ radiate. Ripples are public commemorative artworks throughout South Australia. Creating Australia’s first public tribute to the victims and survivors of domestic and family violence.
The Place of Courage is the inspiration of Helen Oxenham OAM, Founder of Spirit of Woman.
The Place of Courage will be a space for:
Everyone – All community members, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTQI, and all culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee communities who want to mourn, find solace, heal, or share their stories.
Education – Multicultural community and school education programs, community gatherings and school field trips designed to educate about the impact of DFV and what can be done to reduce it in our communities.
Prevention programs – In partnership with local service providers, not-for-profit organisations, Indigenous and multicultural organisations, schools, and the general public, to develop strategies to reduce DFV in our communities.
Community gatherings – Vigils, community events, protests and marches to acknowledge, own and reflect on the tragedy of DFV and to change the discourse to stop the blame and shame.
Future generations – To heal, to end the intergenerational cycle, and to pledge not to perpetuate it in the future.
Celebrating Our Founder, Helen Oxenham
A Champion of Social Welfare and Advocacy
We are immensely proud to announce that our esteemed Founder, Helen Oxenham, has been awarded the prestigious Key to the City of Onkaparinga recognition of her exceptional dedication to serving our community through transformative social welfare initiatives and unwavering advocacy.
Helen's tireless efforts have uplifted countless lives and served as a beacon of hope and inspiration for us all. Her visionary leadership and profound commitment to making a meaningful difference have left an indelible mark on our organisation and the communities we serve.
This honour is a testament to Helen's remarkable compassion, resilience, and visionary leadership. We are profoundly grateful for her exemplary guidance and unwavering dedication to creating positive change in the world.
"I am pleased to support The Place of Courage project - the first of its kind here in Australia. It is so very important for victims of family violence and their families to share their experiences safely so that they can recover and move forward with their lives."
– Rosie Batty, OA
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