Special Evening meeting Ms. Emma Gierschick, OAM

Ms. Emma Gierschick, OAM

Family violence, Womens Mental Health, Disability child parent -

Emma Gierschick has shown extraordinary tenacity in the face of adversity. As a survivor of family violence and breast cancer, plus a sole parent of a daughter with Down syndrome, Emma has navigated complex issues to get the right support for her daughter Amelia.

Presentation Title:

‘The effect Family Violence has on the mental health of women and children’

Presentation Description:

I will include analogies, share examples based on lived experience, discuss the new ‘buzz word’ of coercive control, what it is and what it looks like in practise, describe the long term impact of family violence and open the floor for questions, with my policy that no question is off limits or inappropriate.

My Bio:

Emma Gierschick OAM has been a mum or step mum to 6 children, 3 of which have a significant intellectual disability. She is a survivor of both extreme family violence followed immediately by breast cancer.

Emma commenced a one woman campaign presenting around the country generating greater awareness regarding the vulnerabilities of children with a disability facing violence or abuse, and the lack of trauma informed recovery support available for all children.

As a result, Emma received several accolades including being named the Inaugural Kingston Woman of the Year 2019, named one of the Top 100 Australian Women of Influence by the Australian Financial Review 2018, and nominated for the Victorian Women of Honour Roll 2019 & 2020. Emma was recently awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the Community. She regulates her emotions with walks on the beach and big pieces of lemon meringue pie 😊