On 6 March our community held an International Women’s Day event in Brighton with the theme ‘Safer Communities for Women’. This was a free event and the speaker was investiga­tive journalist Jess Hill author of See What You Made Me Do. The room was well and truly filled with around 130 people coming along to hear Jess speak and participate in other activi­ties and discussions.

Jess focuses on social issues and gendered violence and is tirelessly working across Aus­tralia to raise the awareness of coercive control and domestic violence, and the impact it has on women, children, families and communities.

Here is how one of the attend­ees summed up her experience of the day. “Jess was amazing and it was certainly heavy con­tent but I think she presented it in a way that really resonated for participants. The highlight for me was observing the cour­age of the panel participants. To share your stories of healing and growth was truly inspiring. I felt so proud of each person on that stage, including the MC extraordinaire Kylie, who was nothing but her true authentic and engaging self! So pleased I did not miss this day. Congratulations to you all.”

In Jess Hill’s own words, she shared, “Over the past two weeks I’ve done about a dozen events about coercive control – in Shepparton, Darwin, Hobart and Sydney. The event in Ho­bart was incredible with front­line workers and women who have been subjected to coercive control. The pub choir to finish was ‘chef’s kiss’ and a great in­tervention from the organisers, because the day had been ex­tremely heavy – one of the most emotionally charged rooms I’ve spoken to for a while, because so many women’s experiences there were recent and ongoing.”

Brighton Council would like to extend a huge thank you to all the partners who made this event possible including Jess Hill, Communities for Chil­dren – South East Tasmania, The Salvation Army Tasmania, Australian Red Cross – Tasma­nia, Centacare Evolve Housing, Tagari Lia, HIPPY, Chigwell Child and Family Learning Cen­tre, Uniting Tasmania, SIS TAS, Tasmanian Online Lions Club, Engender Equality and the De­partment of Health, Tasmania – Family Violence, Counselling and Support Service.