Grace Tame

After being groomed and sexually assaulted by her maths teacher when she was just 15 years old, Grace Tame has spent the last 10 years turning her traumatic experience into being an advocate for survivors of child sexual assault and a leader of positive change.

Recognising the injustice of Tasmania’s gag order that prevented survivors from self-identifying publicly, Grace spent several months campaigning with #LetHerSpeak campaign. In 2019, she finally won the court order to speak out under her own name.

Now 26 and based in Hobart, Grace is dedicated to eradicating child sexual assault in Australia, and supporting the survivors of child sexual assault.

Her focus is around enabling survivors to tell their stories without shame, educating the public around the process and lasting effects of grooming and working with policy and decision makers to ensure we have a federal system that supports the survivors, not just perpertrators.

She is also a passionate yoga teacher, visual artist, and champion long-distance runner, having won the 2020 Ross Marathon in a female course record time of 2:59:31.

An open book about her experience, but even more passionate about preventing this from happening to other children, Grace speaks from the heart and will have her audience simultaneously inspired and in tears.

She is a regular keynote speaker, media guest and advocacy commentator.

Grace is the 2021 Australian of the Year.