Survivor Connections

Survivor Connections was established in February 2023, by survivors of modern slavery in Australia in response to a critical need for peer connection and independent survivor advocacy. The initiative remains survivor-led and independent, ensuring that the voices and needs of survivors remain at the heart of our work. In its formative phase, it became evident that effective advocacy could not be achieved while many of its members’ fundamental needs remained unmet in recovering from experiences of modern slavery. As a result, Survivor Connections shifted its focus towards providing peer support to address barriers and help each other to navigate complex service systems in long-term journeys of healing. Building on a comprehensive evidence base from literature, lived experience insights, and reflective practice during its first two years of operation, Survivor Connections began to formalise its practices to ensure the safe, sustainable, ethical and effective delivery of peer support within antislavery responses. This formalisation has culminated in the development of “Relational Remedy: A Peer Support Framework for the Australian Antislavery Sector” Survivor Connections has now entered a capacity building phase: Working towards registration as an Incorporated Association, further developing its operational procedures, and obtaining the professional development needed for its members to deliver this Framework as a part of broader antislavery efforts in Australia.