Katrina Harrison [Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council] My name's Katrina Harrison. I'm the Aboriginal representative of the Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council, and I'm a strong Palawa woman.
I experienced probably 23 years of family violence with my ex-husband and so did my children, also experience it.
I can only reflect on my story. So I don't speak on all of the community but we are strong mob, and you know, I want our community to know that they can reach out and they can talk.
Self-determination for me is taking control of my life.
I didn't once have control and now I do.
So it's empowered me.
But having this self-determination and empowerment, I've also gained this from other women that have helped me, that have been empowered, have had self-determination, and shown me the feeling that I can get from it - which is awesome. It's deadly!
This space I feel to be here, is to have that time. To reflect. To think.
For me it was to remember the people that we've lost and whether or not that was man, woman, or child.
We need a place to heal. I feel it's meant to represent loss, for the lives that we've lost to family violence.
I feel that it's a time for change. That people can change their behaviour if they choose to.
I think that it will represent a time of healing for people.
When families walk past here and a man that chooses to use violence might see this and reach out and get help himself, not only for his partner but for his children to change that cycle.
I hope it engages them. I hope that they come. I hope from all cultures, all genders, all right across the board, come here and just reflect just to remember that they're not alone.
For people that come to visit the memorial, I want you to look around and I want you to think about the people that have lost their lives.
And the sadness that it has brought families and communities, for these lives to be lost.
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