Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has spoken about the mental health toll of her time in the national spotlight, warning the media has a lot to answer for “where it directs its shame”.
Speaking at an All About Women event in Sydney, Tame spoke on a panel alongside Rosie Batty, where she revealed she had recently been in hospital seeking mental health support.
“I was actually in the ER the other day because I actually lost control and I was really scared,” Tame said.
“I called up the clinic and I said, ‘I can’t, I can’t, I’ve stepped too deep into the shame spiral.
“And that’s real. That’s the toll that takes. That’s the price of shame. And so that’s why I wrote that open letter. You know, I’ve got a sense of humour, I can have a laugh.”
The open letter is one Tame distributed publicly, directed towards media outlets who published a photo of her next a bong when she was nineteen years old.
“There are survivors out there who are terrified of seeking help because they’re afraid they’ll be blamed for what has happened to them. They are afraid they’ll be chastised for their coping strategies instead of being offered support and treated for the cause of their suffering,” she wrote in the letter.
At the All About Women event, Tame said the media had a lot to answer for after publishing the photo.
“The media has a lot to answer for where it directs its shame. There is a disproportionate amount of shame that is still pointed towards people who do not understand yet what has happened to them,’’ she said.
“And that shame needs to be pointed squarely, not these people who are trying to figure out what the f**k happened to them. It needs to be pointed at the perpetrators of domestic violence, of sexual assault and child sexual abuse.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help now, call triple zero (000).
You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.