Outsider-witness Practices in Developing Community with Women Who Have Experienced Child Sexual Assault— Michelle Fraser

The West Street Centre is a community-based service for women and young people who have experienced child sexual assault. As a feminist service we are interested in addressing the issue of child sexual assault in forums beyond the therapy room and therapeutic group programs. As such, we have been committed to finding ways to strengthen the community of women who use our service, as well as the women who work to respond to this issue in the community. Narrative outsider witness practices and a number of other key feminist community development ideas have provided a foundation for the organisation of two community forum days over the last two years. This paper describes these community days and the thinking that informed them.