Sexual Assault Survivor Support

UPDATE: The money raised so far is going towards helping fund existing meetups in Sydney, Gosford and Newcastle, as well as new meetup locations across NSW and VIC. This wouldn't be possible without the generosity of everyone's donations, so thank you! The more money we raise, the more people The Survivor Hub will be able to help.

Hi, my name is Zac, and I'm raising money for Survivors of Sexual Assault. To raise awareness, I will be completing a Full Distance Ironman, which is a 3.9km ocean swim, into a 180.2km bike, into a full 42.2km marathon run, all back to back. The race is on the 5th of May, 2024, in Port Macquarie (known to be Australia's hardest Ironman course). As a beginner in endurance-related exercise, taking on what is considered one of the most challenging one-day endurance events is incredibly daunting. The number of women I know that have been sexually assaulted throughout high school and university is heartbreaking. In 2022, there were 32,100 sexual assaults reported in Australia. This is the largest annual figure in the 30 years of the Australian Bureau of Statistics crime data, with 2022 being the 11th yearly increase. It's also estimated that 87% of sexual assaults are never reported to the police, so the real numbers are much higher. With 97% of perpetrators being male, the first thing we need to do is address and correct these behaviours.

The next best thing we can do is support sexual assault survivors. This is where 'The Survivor Hub' come into the equation! The Survivor Hub is a survivor-led, not-for-profit organisation based on Gadigal Land in Sydney. They create the safest of spaces where survivors can be at ease, all while experiencing a real sense of community and connection to those around them. Funds raised will be used to facilitate support groups / MeetUps, pay sexual assault specialised support workers and trauma counsellors, cover costs related to advertising their support groups, as well as opening up the possibility of expanding their facilities to more locations. The Survivor Hub host fortnightly MeetUps in person in Sydney, as well as via Zoom, and monthly in person MeetUps in Melbourne. These MeetUps provide survivors with an informative, welcoming, safe space to learn about everything from relationships after an assault, to therapy options and the processes behind giving evidence in court. Individuals attending are also welcome to vent or sit back and take it all in and see that there is a promising way forward and that they are not alone in their healing process. After being lucky enough to attend The Survivor Hub's 1st birthday party, where I met the sweetest, most welcoming groups of people, I can assure you that any donation is money well spent.

Every donation counts and is greatly appreciated. No sexual assault survivor should feel helpless, which is exactly what The Survivor Hub are putting a stop to.