Breaking Silent Codes

Dixie Link GordonBreaking Silent Codeswas established by First Nations sexual assault and family violence advocate, Dixie Link Gordon to enable vulnerable First Nations Women to find a safe environment in which to share their deeply personal stories. Dixie’s knowledge and extensive experience working for over 30 years in the human service sector specialising in sexual assault and family violence, brings a valuable insight into this critical issue facing First Nations women. Aunty Dixie is the recipient of the following awards; Gowland Domestic Violence Award, 2016, Bright Spark Award, 2015, Edan Ryan Award, 2015, Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Lands Council Community Worker Award, 2012, UTS Alumni Human Rights Recipient for her commitment to Aboriginal Communities Awareness & Prevention in Family Violence 2010, Manager and Co-creator of “Healthy Family Circle” Program Federal Government award winning program for good Practice for Families 2009. Domestic Convenor of the community driven “Blackout Violence Campaign” NSW State Award winner for Community VAW 2004. Dixie Link Gordon has participated in and held parallel and side events at the United Nations CSW in 2012, 2016 and 2019.Belinda MasonBelinda Mason is the winner of theMoran Prize for Contemporary Photography, Olive Cotton Photographic Portraiture Award, Australian Human Rights Commission Award for Photography, Iris Award for Photography, CCP Kodak Salon, BHP Awards for Images of the Outback. She hasco-hosted and participated in the following United Nations events:Unfinished Business,2013 – present, is an exhibition that reveals the stories of Indigenous Australian people with disability. In September 2013, the exhibition was launched at the Palais des Nations in Geneva by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director General of the United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva, and Peter Woolcott, Australia’s Ambassador to the UN, Geneva, to coincide with the 24th Session of the Committee on the Rights for People with Disabilities a body within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In December 2013 the exhibition was also displayed at the World Health Organisation Headquarters in Geneva. In 2014 it was part of the Australian Government’s official contribution to the 2014 UN World Conference on Indigenous Persons, New York. This project was funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The art works have been donated via the Australian Governments Cultural Gifts Program to the Australian Museum.Silent Tears, 2014– present was originally funded by The Australia Council for the Arts and launched at the 2015 Ballarat International Foto Festival by Sue Salthouse of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Panel to Reduce Violence Against Women. In March 2016, Silent Tears co-hosted a parallel event with the Australian Government, Australian Human Rights Commission and CBM International as part of the UN CSW60, USA. In April 2016, artists Belinda Mason and Denise Beckwith presented with CBM at the UN in Geneva to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2018, the work was shown in New York across three galleries, and in conjunction with the UN CSW62 with Silent Tears co-hosted a side event with the UN Women National Committee Australia.

Breaking Silent Codes & Blur Projects

Sharing the collective experiences and wisdom of Australian and Pacifica First Nation women’s journeys out of violence to empowerment.

New York City Baha'i Center

<a href="http://www.breakingsilentcodes.com.au" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Breaking Silent Codes</a><a href="http://blurprojects.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"></a> and<a href="http://blurprojects.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Blur Projects</a> are still hosting their forum although the venue has now changed due to the cancelation of the United Nations’ 64th Commission on the Status of Women in New York.Join us as we share the collective experiences and wisdom of Australian and Pacifica First Nation women's journeys out of violence to empowerment.<a href="http://www.breakingsilentcodes.com.au" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Breaking Silent Codes</a> was established by First Nations sexual assault and family violence advocate, Dixie Link Gordon to enable vulnerable First Nations women to find a safe environment to share their deeply personal stories. Dixie’s knowledge and extensive experience working for over 30 years in the human service sector specialising in sexual assault and family violence, brings valuable insight into silent codes which prevent First Nations women from speaking out and escaping family violence.Our panel discussion event will showcase the power of women’s song lines across Australia and the Pacific as we individually and collectively respond to our personal and intergenerational experiences of violence. The event will feature First Nations storytelling, women’s ceremony and showcase the programs and responses each woman and community have used to break the silent codes of violence that have prevented them from speaking out. “We need to own our stories and come together to appreciate each other and listen. Violence hurts, it hurts society, its hurts families and it hurts you and I.”- Dixie Link Gordon 2019

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