Heavy M.E.T.A.L Group

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Family violence survivor Jacqui Seamark is using her experiences to empower and support women, and help run the Men’s Education Towards Anger and Life group

10th June 2014. Reading Time: 1 minute Media. 1185 page views.

JACQUI Seamark understands what it’s like to be a victim of family violence.

The 52-year-old has experienced all forms of abuse in her life and struggled to leave the house, answer the phone and the front door some days.

But now Mrs Seamark wants to use her experience to empower women and provide support to those in abusive family situations.

“On my own personal journey of change I attended a women’s group and was inspired by the co-facilitator, who was a survivor of abuse,” Mrs Seamark said.

“When she spoke, it was evident she got how I felt and what I was going through.

“She had come out the other side, strong and empowered.”

When she got back on track, Mrs Seamark was one of three women who founded a women’s and children’s survivor of domestic violence advocacy group called SAFEAS (Support and Advocacy by Female survivors for Education and Awareness Strategy).

And she also became a qualified life coach and holistic counsellor.

Now, Mrs Seamark is a co-facilitator at Heavy METAL Group (Men’s Education Towards Anger and Life) — which aims to educate violent men on the impact of their actions — with Pakenham resident David Nugent.

“My role is to represent the women and children, giving them a voice, educating, and sharing the impact of abuse,” she said.

“Women often come to the group seeing themselves as the (cause) of the abuse.

“They feel out of control, scared, exhausted, depressed and just surviving each day. Our women’s program empowers them to trust their own intuition and self-belief, which is often lost when they experience abuse.”

Since her experience, Mrs Seamark has restored her marriage of 24 years, brought up four sons and become a grandmother.

Mrs Seamark will be joined by the Cranbourne Police Family Violence Unit and legal support services on June 12 to speak at a Heavy METAL information evening.

To find out more about the information evening, phone David Nugent on 0401 766 877.