About Us
IGFF and LOUD Fence Inc. established a National Advisory Committee (NAC) to devise the key components and scope of the Day, including the date, symbolisms, language, and design. The NAC brought together Survivors, family members, whistle-blowers, people living with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from across Australia. The Day and the work of the NAC will serve to commemorate the courage and journeys of Survivors of Sexual Assault and Institutional Abuse, their Supporters, and whistle-blowers across Australia.
Meet our Ambassadors
Tiffany Skeggs / Ambassador
Tiffany is a Victim Survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse, an advocate for reform, and a strong voice for support and life opportunities to aid in recovery. Tiffany was sexually abused by a now notorious paedophile. She first disclosed and reported her abuse to Tasmania Police in early 2019. Tiffany’s report was pivotal in the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings. Since her disclosure, Tiffany has worked tirelessly to expose cover-up and corruption at the highest levels of Government and, indeed, expose the power imbalance and culture of silence that exists across communities. Tiffany pays tribute to and respects the voices and experiences of every person impacted and affected by CSA. Tiffany’s hope is to aid in creating a safer Australia for our children and a culture that is accepting, believing and supportive of traumatic and sensitive disclosures. Tiffany is fortunate to have engaged with numerous stakeholders in this space and remains passionate about advocating for and implementing systemic change in her home state of Tasmania.
Clare Leaney / Co-convenor
Clare is CEO of In Good Faith Foundation, assisting individuals, families, and communities with their journeys to justice for over 10 years. She has extensive consultative experience providing written and verbal testimony to both State and Federal Government Inquiries, legislative and policy reviews, organisational restructuring, and child safe standards. Graduating from the University of Melbourne with a background in Humanities, Clare possesses extensive case management, community development and engagement experience with governance and organisational oversight experience. She is driven to provide an accessible support service to survivors, families and communities impacted by institutional abuses. Clare is privileged to have shared in the recovery journeys of many survivors and is committed to enhancing public awareness of the needs of institutional abuse Survivors.
Maureen Hatcher / Co-convenor
Maureen founded LOUD fence in 2015 amidst the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Colourful, LOUD ribbons were tied to fences as a reminder that there has been too much silence. To this day, people continue to tie ribbons to fences as a show of support to all Survivors and Victims of child sexual assault. Maureen’s background working in the Early Childhood field often parallels her work with LOUD fence Inc. She has a strong desire to empower children and keep them safe. Maureen supports the voice of Survivors and believes each ribbon represents that voice. She continues to support many individuals, and organisations, to assist in their healing process.
Richard Jabara / Ambassador
Richard’s long-term advocacy over the last 15 years demonstrates his outstanding commitment to advocating on behalf of survivors. In choosing to share his story as a survivor across all avenues of media, Richard has empowered many others to speak out. His public relations, media communications and political lobbying background has assisted in many successful campaigns for survivor justice and institutional reform. Contributing to the Survivor community over many years, Richard has also worked to establish a Memorial at Xavier College.
IGFF (In Good Faith Foundation) is an Australian national charity and Redress Support Service working with and for institutional abuse survivors, their families, carers, and communities for over 25 years. Alongside our individual case management and advocacy services, we undertake systemic advocacy to prevent future abuse and promote methodology for improving survivors’ well-being and access to justice. Given our mission, we are attentive to laws and policies that may negatively affect survivors of institutional abuse. IGFF works to identify areas where law reform is needed to ensure the prevention of future abuse and provide more just outcomes for victim-survivors of institutional abuse.
LOUD fence was born in May 2015 in response to the overwhelming need to show support and care to the victims and survivors of child sexual abuse as the Ballarat community was hearing about the extent and devastating impacts through the Royal Commission Case Study 28. It was from here that the grassroots response grew and quickly gained momentum as a safe and supportive expression of both anger at what had happened, and support for those profoundly affected – victims, families, and communities. LOUD fences appeared across Ballarat, Victoria, Australia and then across the world.