The words “Safer Me Safer You” written in dark purple, with “Safer Me” written on the line below. Three sets of concentric circles in a hand drawn style are at the top right corner next to the word “Me”. The circles vary in colour and are light purple, dark purple, light blue, dark blue, and white.

    About Us

    The Safer Me Safer You national project works alongside people with disability to learn what social and sexual safety means to them. Through our learnings, our project is changing the cultures of workplaces across Australia to ensure all people with disability experience social and sexual safety, everywhere and always.
    A diverse group of people poses together on a stage at a conference, smiling and making celebratory gestures. Some individuals are standing, while others are seated in wheelchairs. The background features two banners with colorful designs, one on each side of the group.

    Our Story

    The 2022 Safer Girls Safer Women Symposium launched the project. The event was a conversation led by women, girls and non-binary people with disability about what safety means to them. The project builds on Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT’s (SHFPACT) existing social and sexual safety program, SoSAFE!. This project was originally called the Safer Girls Safer Women project. It is now called the Safer Me Safer You project. We changed the project name to make it more inclusive of all the people we work with and the people the project impacts.

    A group of people poses together, some standing and some seated in wheelchairs, in front of a gray curtain.

    Our Work

    The Project currently has three interconnected elements. These are: To amplify the voices of women, girls and gender diverse people with disability to co-design all of our initiatives; To develop best practice guidelines for organisations and workers to build approaches that increase social and sexual safety of women, girls and gender diverse people with disability; To extend the reach of the existing SoSAFE! Framework training and to adapt the implementation of SoSAFE! programs for diverse communities and the workforce sectors that support them.

    A conference setting with attendees seated at tables, facing a stage with speakers and presenters. Two large screens display presentation slides titled Advisory Committees. Attendees are engaged, with some taking notes and others listening attentively.

    Our Team

    Tenille Abell

    Project Director Safer Me Safer You
    A smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing a black sleeveless dress, stands with her hands clasped next to a tree in a grassy outdoor area, with a building and walkway visible in the background.

    Tenille is a leader, educator, author and clinician who has worked across a range of human services organisations leading large projects and programs using trauma-informed and evidence-informed practice models.

    Mel Harrison

    Project Officer Engagement
    Mel sits smiling in her wheelchair in front of some nature in the background. She has paired her trademark blue nail polish with an aqua skirt (and necklace).

    Mel has extensive experience in motivational speaking, consultancy and education, for over a decade. Diversity and inclusion are a huge passion for Mel as she strives to break down barriers, remove stereotypes about people with disability and show that there is ability within everyone.

    Amanda Damien

    Project Manager SoSafe
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    Amanda is a lived-experience DFSV and disability advocate, registered counsellor and clica supervisor specialising in working with people who use violence and those with complex communication needs.

    Jessica Cordwell

    A smiling woman with split-dyed black and blonde hair, wearing a black sleeveless dress with white polka dots, seated indoors next to a large potted plant.

    Maggie Yundi Li

    Website Project Officer
    Maggie stands smiling in front of greenery in a forest green sweater and light brown pants.

    Maggie works on the user interface and experience design and full-stack web development for the project's website and online resource library.

    We are grateful for the invaluable contributions of former team members Dr Sheridan Kerr, Sue Gore Philips, Cate Barclay, Millie Hayes, Danielle Dal Cortivo, Camille Schloeffel, and James McDougall to our project.

    Project Advisory Group

    Safer Me Safer You formerly known as Safer Girls Safer Women, currently have 14 group members, with 3 members who have previously left. The PAG has been running since January 2023 where we meet monthly online for 1.5 hours as a group, and some months we meet twice.

    SMSY have project advisory group members from every state and territory apart from Victoria and Tasmania currently. We have women and gender diverse people with various disabilities, ages and life experiences.

    All PAG members bring important value to the group with knowledge and experience from their life, disability and work experience. They have been and continue to be a critical element in the project by advising on the co design process making sure that people who work with and communicate with people with disability actually listen to them about what is needed and ensure that there is social and sexual safety everywhere and always.

    Liz Yates

    She/Her
    Liz with short dark hair and red glasses smiles while wearing a red top and pearl earrings. She is in an indoor setting with part of another person visible behind her.

    I joined the Advisory group to make a difference to the lives of girls and women who have a disability. As a result of a car accident in 1994 I became a quadriplegic - this made me who made I am today.

    Kate Fiedler

    Kate with brown hair smiles while holding a gray poodle in a patio area with potted plants and windows in the background.

    I enjoy the PAG because it is a group effort to achieve the same goal of disability safety. I enjoy learning from other members. I enjoy volunteering for the Good Friday Appeal and Olivia Newton John Wellness Walk and going to live concerts. Over the last 3 years I have gotten into disability advocacy and public speaking

    https://www.youtube.com/@kefwheel/videos

    Yenn Purkis

    They/Them
    Portrait of Yenn with colorful rainbow hair, glasses, and a red patterned jacket, against a wooden background.

    I am an out loud and proud Queer and Autistic person who has been working in the LGBTQ+ and disability advocacy spaces for almost 20 years. I have 17 published books and have given two TEDx talks – among other things! I take part in the advisory group because I feel that issues around sexual safety are extremely important for Disabled women as predatory people often attack us.

    www.yennpurkis.com

    Rachel Wotton

    She/Her
    Rachel with straight, light brown hair and side-swept bangs smiles while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing a black top with a crisscross design at the neckline.



    www.rachelwotton.com

    Rachael Leahcar

    She/Her
    Rachael with long, curly blonde hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black top and is posed against a plain white background.

    I'm a singer/songwriter from South Australia and appeared on the first season of The Voice, placing third. I sing in several different languages and have released many albums over the years. My journey as a musician is never far from my work as a disability advocate as I'm passionate about both causes. I've also got a Bachelor degree in Disability and Developmental Education. I am a disabled woman who is passionate about advocating for change where change is needed. It is inspiring to be amongst a group of like-minded people creating a world that shines a light on safety, consent and sexual needs, instead of leaving it in the shadows.

    http://www.rachaelleahcar.com.au/

    Ruth Faragher

    Ruth with short dark hair and glasses takes a selfie indoors. She is wearing a colorful top, and sunlight is streaming through the windows behind her, creating a lens flare effect.

    Hi my name is Ruth Faragher. I’m 28 years old. I have been public speaking all the over the world. Last week I did world Down syndrome Congress committee. I’m proud myself.

    Freya Wolf

    She/Her
    Freya with blonde hair pulled back smiles at the camera. She is wearing a sleeveless top with a geometric pattern and hoop earrings. The background is plain and light-colored.

    Freya is a pleasure activist, writer, speaker, and sensual embodied dance facilitator. She’s ridden the waves of many movements, from disability rights to safety and embodied liberation, while mothering alongside a complicated dance with blindness. She’s passionate about our connection with body, pleasure, earth, and community. Her fierce love of cats has sustained her through most of life’s twists and turns. She lives, works and dances on Gadagal and Bidjigal country in Sydney.

    https://freyawolf.com/

    Janelle Brown

    Portrait of Janelle with curly hair, wearing a pink top, seated in a car.

    I want to be a part of this group as it is good for me to talk about things that click my memory and to help me with my life. It also is giving me the tools to be able to talk to and support my fellow peers in central west NSW. This group makes me feel safe and comfortable. 

    Britt McNicol

    Britt is a white woman with long red hair with a fringe. She is wearing a cure beanie and giving a peace sign. She’s wearing makeup and looking lovely

    I am part of the advisory group as I am a victim survivor and would love to use my personal experience to support others by contributing to improving social and sexual safety for people with disability. Social and sexual safety means that everyone has the right to boundaries about their own body. I have a strong sense of social justice and want to be part of making the world a safer and more equitable place. I work in Children's Services, my role being actively engaging in the lives of children in care by supporting them through connection, engagement and advocacy. I also write zines about mental health and self care in my spare time. You can find me at @readytobedeady on Instagram and www.etsy.com/au/shop/readytobedeady on etsy

    https://www.instagram.com/readytobedeady

    Divya Lata Prasad

    A close-up headshot of a smiling person with long, wavy light brown hair, wearing a reddish top against a plain beige background.

    Divya Lata Prasad

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    We sincerely acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of our past Project Advisory Group members, Lyn Wu, Emily Gardner, Cassie Gardner, Tess Moodie, Jocelyn Powell, Erin Papps, and Sujay Kentlyn. Their insights and dedication have helped shape this project.