Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
  • today
South Australian children who've lived through domestic violence and homelessness have written and illustrated a new picture book about their experiences. The group has presented their stories to the state's Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, ahead a final report being handed to the state government next month.

Category

đŸ“º
TV
Transcript
00:00Music
00:05Dad is like a tornado.
00:10Koala and Mindy run back behind the tree.
00:15Through storytelling, this seven-year-old's describing what domestic violence feels like.
00:21Their voice has been changed to protect their safety.
00:26The tornado turns the rockfall into a whirlpool and spins Koala and all the children around and around until they don't know which way it's up.
00:39The story's part of a new picture book written and illustrated by South Australian children aged under 12 who've lived through domestic violence and homelessness.
00:49It's about letting the government know about what kids are going through.
00:53Nine-year-old Kate, not her real name or voice, is one of the authors.
00:58It was a bit upsetting because I started to cry.
01:02Over a six-month period, Kate's mum Lisa, also not her real name, says she was regularly abused by an ex-partner.
01:10She says she tried to shield her daughter from the violence.
01:14There was, you know, threats to kill.
01:17There was, you know, with axes and choking and, you know, a lot of bottles to my head.
01:25Honestly, I thought, you know, she wasn't aware of a lot of it.
01:29But at the end of the relationship, she saw a couple of the incidents.
01:34The family escaped the abuse and, after years of living in shelters and hotels, is now in secure housing.
01:41Lisa says she has mixed feelings reading the picture book.
01:45I know it's sort of out of my control, but she's around and it was not fair because the child, she shouldn't go through this.
01:52Relationships Australia SA spent a year helping the children write and illustrate their stories.
01:58The book is a real example of how children feel like they can turn difficult experiences into something positive.
02:05Earlier this year, the children gave their book to SA's Domestic Violence Royal Commissioner.
02:10This book, yes, was a very emotional exchange, but it was also a heartening one.
02:17Kids have feelings and they have emotions too, just like adults.
02:22Natasha Stott Despoja will hand down her final report in August.

Recommended