As Australia marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month, advocates are urging victim-survivors to seek support, warning abuse remains vastly under-reported despite rising national figures.
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows more than 40,000 sexual assault victim-survivors were recorded by police in 2024 – the highest number in more than three decades.
Experts say the true figure is likely to be far higher, with many never disclosing their abuse.
For Buderim author Jo Wilcox, silence lasted 60 years.
At 71, she is sharing her story for the first time in her memoir When the Mind Divides, detailing childhood abuse, trauma and recovery.
“I stayed quiet for most of my life because I was taught to fear speaking up,” she says. “There is so much shame attached to abuse, but that shame never belonged to me.”
Growing up in the 1950s, Ms Wilcox was abused by someone entrusted with her care, in an era when such issues were rarely discussed.
The trauma shaped her life, affecting relationships, health and identity.
After seeking help at 60, she was diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dissociative Identity Disorder.
“I didn’t fully understand the impact the abuse had on my life until much later,” she says.
“For years, I thought I was simply broken. What I’ve learned is that trauma doesn’t disappear just because it’s buried.
“Breaking the silence was terrifying, but it was also the beginning of recovery.
“I want other survivors to know it is never too late to reach out for help.
“Healing is possible, even if you’ve spent a lifetime hiding your pain.”
