Launceston Grammar’s Senior Campus students were challenged and inspired by a talk from Grace Tame, 2021 Australian of the Year. Her talk and the Q&A which followed saw Grace bravely and candidly share her very personal story of resilience.

Grace explained that during her school years she was not taught about grooming. While grooming may be an uncomfortable topic, she believes that education about the six stages of grooming which she outlined is essential.

Grace explained to students how the stages related to her own experience and I encourage all parents and carers to be having open conversations with their children and reaching out to the School or Laurel House if support is needed.

Grace is an inspiring young Australian who has spent the last 10 years turning her traumatic experience into advocacy for survivors of child sexual assault and a leader of positive change. She spent several months campaigning against the injustice of Tasmania’s gag order that prevented survivors from self-identifying publicly – the #LetHerSpeak campaign, created by Nina Funnell gained national attention, and in 2019 Grace finally won the right to speak out under her own name. Her advocacy and courage are widely recognised and in 2021, she was named Australian of the Year.