I recently watched a TED Talk by an Australian woman called Khadija Gbla, who had her clitoris cut out with a rusty knife at the age of three. Khadija and her family were refugees, fleeing Sierra Leone. Her mother thought she was empowering her daughter by freeing her from sexual desire. Khadija’s talk, which she […]

A few years ago I wrote a blog post about my experience of being a caseworker again – even though it was only for a few hours. It was a powerful experience for me and I was struck by how easy it is to lose touch with the rawness of the work, when we’re in […]

Rob Porter, the White House aide who resigned last month, after he was publicly accused of abusing his two former wives, was an upwardly mobile Harvard-educated Rhodes scholar with a well-connected family, and a Mormon. It’s no wonder the allegations against him remained secret for so many years. Both women knew the impact these accusations […]

When I was 13, my friend and I wanted to shave our legs. Our mums said no. But all the other girls at our new high school were doing it. So I stole my mum’s Bic and we shaved them, at school, in an empty stairwell, dry. Over the next decade and a half, I […]

In December last year, as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, Bonnie’s held a candlelight vigil to remember the Australian women who lost their lives to domestic violence during 2017. There were 49 women by year’s end. This year, another nine women have lost their lives in less than two months. […]

The films below are based on real events… Many, perhaps most, of us have experienced sexual harassment. As part of the great lifting the lid on generations of silence and complicity, edited versions of these are now being screened on American TV as public service announcements. Watch them. But be warned, It’s uncomfortable viewing. For those […]

When I was in my mid-20s, I got a job as editor of a small newspaper. My boss was an overweight gay man with a wild temper. He always stood too close to me or leaned over me at my desk, so his stomach pushed against me. He would call me into his office and […]

Conflict is a normal part of life. Issues with communication and misunderstandings are often a source of conflict, as are differences in expectations, opinions, beliefs and values. However conflict is very different to domestic violence, in which there is a deliberate abuse of power and control over another person. An example of everyday conflict might […]

Many people put exercise high on their list of resolutions for the New Year after over-indulging on fruit mince pies over the holiday season! We all know that exercise is good for our bodies but what many of us don’t realise is that exercise is also very important for our mental health. One in five […]

In an average week in Australia, at least one woman is killed by her partner or former partner. As part of the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, held at the beginning of December, Bonnie Support Services organised Liverpool’s first ever candlelight vigil to remember the 45 women who lost their lives by […]

Ten courageous local women, who have done it tough, recently jumped at the chance to take part in a free TAFE course, with the support of Bonnie’s and our industry partners, the Liverpool Women’s Health Centre and the Liverpool Women’s Resource Centre. The seven-week Introduction to Community Services course was offered to clients of our […]

From December to early January many cultures around the world have traditional celebrations. For most of human history, people have celebrated around the December solstice – the longest (southern hemisphere) or shortest (northern hemisphere) day of the year. The summer and winter solstices are still a time of celebration for many people.  There are also […]