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In 2017, [[Antifeminism|anti-feminist]] social commentator [[Bettina Arndt]] interviewed sex offender Nicolaas Bester for her [[YouTube]] channel about attempts to bar him from postgraduate study at the [[University of Tasmania]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shine|first=Rhiannon|date=2017-05-16|title=University students petition against sex offender Nicolaas Bester's presence on campus|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-16/university-of-tasmania-students-petition-against-sex-offender/8528728|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> Although Arndt condemned Bester's crimes in the video, her decision to interview him, and many of her comments, were widely criticised. His victim, [[Grace Tame]], told [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] that "Not only is the interview disturbing because it gives a platform to a paedophile. It's not a truthful interview".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Knowles|first=Lorna|date=2020-02-08|title=Rape survivor urges Governor-General to cancel Bettina Arndt's Australia Day award|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-08/survivor-wants-bettina-arndts-australia-day-honours-removed/11928740|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> |
In 2017, [[Antifeminism|anti-feminist]] social commentator [[Bettina Arndt]] interviewed sex offender Nicolaas Bester for her [[YouTube]] channel about attempts to bar him from postgraduate study at the [[University of Tasmania]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shine|first=Rhiannon|date=2017-05-16|title=University students petition against sex offender Nicolaas Bester's presence on campus|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-16/university-of-tasmania-students-petition-against-sex-offender/8528728|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> Although Arndt condemned Bester's crimes in the video, her decision to interview him, and many of her comments, were widely criticised. His victim, [[Grace Tame]], told [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] that "Not only is the interview disturbing because it gives a platform to a paedophile. It's not a truthful interview".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Knowles|first=Lorna|date=2020-02-08|title=Rape survivor urges Governor-General to cancel Bettina Arndt's Australia Day award|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-08/survivor-wants-bettina-arndts-australia-day-honours-removed/11928740|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> |
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The interview also exposed |
The interview also exposed an unintended consequence of Tasmania's ''[[Evidence Act 2001 (Tasmania)|Evidence Act 2001]]''. At the time, Section 194K of the Act prevented media outlets from publishing the name, image or "any other reference or allusions likely to lead to the identification of" a victim of a sexual offence without first seeking a court order. While this provision was intended to protect the privacy of victims, it had the perverse effect of allowing perpetrators to speak publicly while placing hurdles in the way of victims who wanted to do the same. In responding to the Bester interview in 2017, Tame could only be quoted as "Jane Doe".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Funnell|first=Nina|date=2018-11-13|title=Teacher jailed for molesting and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old said it was ‘awesome’|work=[[News.com.au]]|url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/teacher-jailed-for-molesting-and-sexually-assaulting-a-15yearold-said-it-was-awesome/news-story/d7cec55508471578898d7163393f2bc1|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Langdon|first=Allison|date=2018-11-12|title=60 Minutes #LetHerSpeak: 'The only person this archaic law protects is the perpetrator'|work=[[Nine News]]|url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/60-minutes-let-her-speak-tasmanian-sexual-assault-law-194k-allison-langdon/d8a0d059-7167-4c1e-a800-45248892c134|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> |
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{{Rquote |1=right |2=Journalists, commentators, and even my perpetrator have all been able to publicly discuss my case. I’m the only one who is not allowed to. It’s not just illogical, it’s cruel. |3=[[Grace Tame]] |4=<ref name=":0" />}} |
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⚫ | Enlisting the help of the End Rape on Campus (EROC) campaign, journalist |
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⚫ | Enlisting the help of the End Rape on Campus (EROC) campaign, journalist Nina Funnell and the publisher of the city's main newspaper, Tame sought a court order under s. 194K allowing her name to be published. Only two victims had previously won such orders in Tasmania, among them Beyond Abuse founder Steve Fisher. Although ultimately successful, the process was difficult, all the more so since by then Tame was living in the [[United States]]. The complexity of the process, Funnell later wrote, "exacerbated pre-existing feelings of powerlessness and injustice". Tame observed that “Journalists, commentators, and even my perpetrator have all been able to publicly discuss my case. I’m the only one who is not allowed to. It’s not just illogical, it’s cruel.”<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Funnell|first=Nina|url=https://www.marquelawyers.com.au/assets/eroc-marque-submission-may.pdf|title=Section 194K of Evidence Act 2001: a submission by End Rape on Campus Australia and Marque Lawyers|year=2019|location=Sydney|pages=4-7}}</ref> |
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The [[Supreme Court of Tasmania]] granted Tame's application in August 2019 after two years and $10,000 in legal costs.<ref name="wins">{{cite web|last=Martin|first=Lisa|date=12 August 2019|title=Grace Tame: Tasmanian survivor of sexual assault wins the right to tell her story|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/12/tasmanian-survivor-of-sexual-assault-wins-the-right-to-tell-her-story|access-date=26 January 2021|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=2019-08-12|title=My name is Grace Tame and I am Jane Doe|page=1|work=The Mercury|url-status=live}}</ref> She appeared on the front page of the ''[[The Mercury (Hobart)|Hobart Mercury]]'' on 12 August above the headline "My name is Grace Tame and I am Jane Doe".<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Campaign == |
== Campaign == |
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<nowiki>#</nowiki>LetHerSpeak ultimately provided legal support to 17 women in gaining similar court orders, and led to amendments to the law in Tasmania and the Northern Territory. |
<nowiki>#</nowiki>LetHerSpeak ultimately provided legal support to 17 women in gaining similar court orders, and led to amendments to the law in Tasmania and the Northern Territory. |
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== Awards and recognition == |
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Funnell and #LetHerSpeak have won a number of awards and accolades,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Info for media|url=https://www.letusspeak.com.au/media/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-01|website=LetHerSpeak / LetUsSpeak}}</ref> including: |
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* [[Walkley Awards|Walkley Award]] for Public Service Journalism (2020) |
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* Walkley Our Watch Award (2020) |
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* [[Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance]] Northern Territory Media Award Best Online Coverage (2020) |
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* Winner Kennedy Award for Best Online Video (2020) |
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* B&T Women in Media Award – Journalist of the Year (2020) |
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* News Corp Australia Campaign of the Year (2019) |
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Tame, whose story inspired the campaign, was named Tasmanian Australian of the Year in 2020 and [[Australian of the Year]] in 2021. |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* [https://www.letusspeak.com.au #LetHerSpeak / #LetUsSpeak] |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Law reform in Australia]] |
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[[Category:Women in Australia]] |
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[[Category:Rape in Australia]] |
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[[Category:Women's rights in Australia]] |
Revision as of 06:21, 1 April 2021
#LetHerSpeak (also known as #LetUsSpeak) is an Australian campaign to amend evidence legislation so as to allow victims of sex crimes to be publicly identified if they choose. The campaign was founded in November 2018 by journalist Nina Funnell with support from End Rape on Campus (EROC), News Corp Australia and Sydney law firm Marque. It focuses on changes to the law in Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. As of 2021, the parliaments of Tasmania and the Northern Territory had amended their laws accordingly.
Catalyst for campaign
In 2017, anti-feminist social commentator Bettina Arndt interviewed sex offender Nicolaas Bester for her YouTube channel about attempts to bar him from postgraduate study at the University of Tasmania.[1] Although Arndt condemned Bester's crimes in the video, her decision to interview him, and many of her comments, were widely criticised. His victim, Grace Tame, told ABC News that "Not only is the interview disturbing because it gives a platform to a paedophile. It's not a truthful interview".[2]
The interview also exposed an unintended consequence of Tasmania's Evidence Act 2001. At the time, Section 194K of the Act prevented media outlets from publishing the name, image or "any other reference or allusions likely to lead to the identification of" a victim of a sexual offence without first seeking a court order. While this provision was intended to protect the privacy of victims, it had the perverse effect of allowing perpetrators to speak publicly while placing hurdles in the way of victims who wanted to do the same. In responding to the Bester interview in 2017, Tame could only be quoted as "Jane Doe".[3][4]
Journalists, commentators, and even my perpetrator have all been able to publicly discuss my case. I’m the only one who is not allowed to. It’s not just illogical, it’s cruel.
— Grace Tame, [5]
Enlisting the help of the End Rape on Campus (EROC) campaign, journalist Nina Funnell and the publisher of the city's main newspaper, Tame sought a court order under s. 194K allowing her name to be published. Only two victims had previously won such orders in Tasmania, among them Beyond Abuse founder Steve Fisher. Although ultimately successful, the process was difficult, all the more so since by then Tame was living in the United States. The complexity of the process, Funnell later wrote, "exacerbated pre-existing feelings of powerlessness and injustice". Tame observed that “Journalists, commentators, and even my perpetrator have all been able to publicly discuss my case. I’m the only one who is not allowed to. It’s not just illogical, it’s cruel.”[5]
The Supreme Court of Tasmania granted Tame's application in August 2019 after two years and $10,000 in legal costs.[6][7] She appeared on the front page of the Hobart Mercury on 12 August above the headline "My name is Grace Tame and I am Jane Doe".[7]
Campaign
Similar legal provisions were on the statute-books in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Across the three jurisdictions, Funnell was able to make contact with more than a dozen men and women, victims of abuse who wanted to tell their stories but were forced by existing laws to remain anonymous. The journalist worked with EROC, News Corp and Sydney law firm Marque to establish a law-reform campaign known as #LetHerSpeak. #LetHerSpeak launched in November 2018 and attracted support from celebrities worldwide including Alyssa Milano, Tara Moss and John Cleese, as well as leaders of the MeToo movement. Tame's story, along with those of Victorian woman Jaime-Lee Page and others, featured prominently in the campaign.
#LetHerSpeak ultimately provided legal support to 17 women in gaining similar court orders, and led to amendments to the law in Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Awards and recognition
Funnell and #LetHerSpeak have won a number of awards and accolades,[8] including:
- Walkley Award for Public Service Journalism (2020)
- Walkley Our Watch Award (2020)
- Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Northern Territory Media Award Best Online Coverage (2020)
- Winner Kennedy Award for Best Online Video (2020)
- B&T Women in Media Award – Journalist of the Year (2020)
- News Corp Australia Campaign of the Year (2019)
Tame, whose story inspired the campaign, was named Tasmanian Australian of the Year in 2020 and Australian of the Year in 2021.
External links
References
- ^ Shine, Rhiannon (2017-05-16). "University students petition against sex offender Nicolaas Bester's presence on campus". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Knowles, Lorna (2020-02-08). "Rape survivor urges Governor-General to cancel Bettina Arndt's Australia Day award". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Funnell, Nina (2018-11-13). "Teacher jailed for molesting and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old said it was 'awesome'". News.com.au. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Langdon, Allison (2018-11-12). "60 Minutes #LetHerSpeak: 'The only person this archaic law protects is the perpetrator'". Nine News. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Funnell, Nina (2019). Section 194K of Evidence Act 2001: a submission by End Rape on Campus Australia and Marque Lawyers (PDF). Sydney. pp. 4–7.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Martin, Lisa (12 August 2019). "Grace Tame: Tasmanian survivor of sexual assault wins the right to tell her story". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b "My name is Grace Tame and I am Jane Doe". The Mercury. 2019-08-12. p. 1.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Info for media". LetHerSpeak / LetUsSpeak. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)