Ali Mau (author of No Words for This) and Sonia Orchard (author of Groomed) examine what happens when the people you trust most betray you and shine the light on what needs to change for justice to prevail. Chaired by Dr Nikki Evans.

Unflinching, insightful, and ultimately hopeful, join us to celebrate the power of collective action in shaping how we can better listen to survivors, achieve cultural shifts, and create safer communities.

In No Words for This, award-winning broadcaster, journalist and thought leader Ali Mau shares her own behind-the-scenes sexual abuse story, which collided with her professional life, as she reported on the stories of survivors who broke their silence as part of the #MeToo movement in Aotearoa. As one of New Zealand’s foremost communications experts, Ali now leads advocacy, stakeholder, sector and donor engagement for Tika, a new legal charity boldly taking action against sexual harm and provide a new, safe and supported pathway for people to seek justice together.  

Groomed is Sonia Orchard’s account of being groomed and sexually abused, at age 15, by a man almost double her age – her ‘first boyfriend’. In the book, she delves into culture, neuroscience and evolution, unpicking the enduring narratives that fuel these issues. As she navigates her way through a legal system stacked against victims of sexual assault, the obstacles to justice become clearer and more confronting than ever.