Embod i ed H i s to r i e s Of Tr auma :

T he Pa r r ama t t a Fema l e Fac to r y P r ec i nc t

And T he In t e r g ene r a t i ona l Impac t s On

T he Hea l th And We l l b e i ng Of

Inca r c e r a t ed Women And Ch i l d r en

Dr Victoria Grieves

University of Sydney

The Impact of Trauma

A shattering of innocence

A loss of faith

An assault on the body and psyche

Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Hyperarousal• Re-experiencing• Avoidance or numbing

The Impact of Trauma

Trauma and unresolved grief can cause

overwhelming feelings, depression, agitation

and anxiety, mistrust of others, difficulty in

relationships, shame, guilt, despair or a sense

of meaninglessness, and helplessness and

hopelessness. Trauma involves feelings of grief

and loss.

Risk Factors For PTSD

Lack of social support;

Lack of public acknowledgement or validation of what

happened to a person;

Vulnerability from previous trauma;

Interpersonal violation;

Coping by avoiding;

Actual or symbolic loss.

Issues For Victims

Failure to seek help;

Lack of recognition of symptoms as

trauma related;

Lack of a realisation that symptoms are

treatable;

Avoidance, withdrawal, memory

disruption, fear, guilt, shame and mistrust.

What Is Needed For Vict ims?

A safe place for survivors to tell their story;

To feel less isolated;

To be able to tolerate knowing what happened;

To be able to make sense of their experience and its

impact on them;

Understand the world and themselves in the light of

this; and

Begin to restore relationships and connections in their

lives.

History And Health?

Embodied histories

• Subconscious

• Intangible

• Intergenerational

• Nurturing styles and patterns

Healing Histories

Opportunity to own ones own story

To work on making something creative

and exceptional out of trauma

To make a lasting monument to mark

this history

The Par ramatta Female Factor y

Precinct As A Site Of Trauma

The Female Factory,

The Orphan School - used to house the

children of the women incarcerated in the

Female Factory;

The Parramatta Girls Home; and

The Norma Parker Centre

What Is Needed For The

Nation?

How deep is this problem?

How deep the denial?

A site of conscience

Questions