Liz Mullinar A.M. 

Liz Mullinar A.M. is the founder of ASCA (Advocates of Survivors of Child Abuse).  She became involved as an advocate for survivors of abuse when she discovered that no one was speaking on behalf of those who have been abused. She wanted to start an organisation, which would offer hope encouragement, and help in healing for those who like herself had been abused. She recovered her own memories of sexual abuse at the age of five, when she was 48 and knew just how hard it had been to heal from the memories. In 1995 The Age newspaper had included her in a list of the ten most powerful people in Australian television. Yet despite her success, she gave up her job as Australia’s leading casting consultant (Babe, Shine, Home & Away, Police Rescue, Dead Calm, Picnic at hanging Rock amongst others) and resigned as a Film Commissioner as well as from the boards of more than five major organisations (Chair of Belvoir Street theatre, Director of the Smith family, Director of Barron Films, director of the Griffin theatre, director of the board of studies for N.I.D.A.) to work for survivors of abuse. She realised she gained more satisfaction helping those, who like herself, had been abused.

She conceptualized the idea of “Breaking the Silence” and co-edited it. It was published in 1997 by Hodder Headline and is a successful and important book to survivors of abuse. She also wrote with her brother, Simon Hopkinson (Creator of Bananas in Pyjamas) her widely acclaimed autobiography, “The Liz Mullinar Story” also published by Hodder Headline. She wrote the books to support ASCA while she was at theological college. Liz left Theological college and with her husband sold up their house and vast antique collection to fund the building of a Christian healing centre for survivors of child abuse near Cessnock. The Governor General Sir William Deane opened Mayumarri in October 1999. She sees her ministry as primarily helping survivors find healing through strengthening their spirituality and their trust in God. Secondly she sees her ministry as building a bridge between those who have been abused and the church. She now devotes her time to running ASCA and Mayumarri, the centre for survivors. She lives there with her husband Rod Phillips who is Chair of ASCA. 

In 1997 she received the Order of Australia for her work for the Arts and also for survivors of child abuse. In 1998 she received the inaugural Australian Humanitarian Award for her work with survivors. In 2000 she was featured on the ABC TV programme “Two Shot” and also on “This is your life” for the nine network, this publicity has ensured that ASCA has continued to grow and can now be said to truly represent the voice of survivors of abuse and that Mayumarri is continually providing a safe haven for abuse victims. The federal government has recently given a grant to ASCA for the establishment of twenty groups through out Australia in the first year in Victoria these are in St. Kilda and the Gippsland areas.  

Interview with Liz Mullinar

Do you see yourself as a leader?

What motivated you to become a Casting Director?

WE needed money! Then I grew to love it as I enjoyed giving good actors the opportunity to succeed.

As a Casting Director, what did you aspire to?  How did you view your role in relation to the final product?

I aspired to fulfil the visions of the director, in the same way that the art director, the cameraperson and the composer do. We bring life to the directors visions. With casting it is particularly exciting because by casting you can influence the way the public feels towards each character. If you cast a shifty looking person as the hero no one will ever feel happy about the outcome etc etc. 

What were some of the highlights and disappointments of your career in the film industry?

Casting Shine, persuading people like Sir John Gielgud to be in a small film, and being at the stage in my career that meant agents listened to me,  so if I said a film was good, they believed me. Also, casting the two children in Leaving of Liverpool in Liverpool. The ABC were only going to make the series if I found the leads. It was a very important social document that affected a lot of people's lives. Disappointments, not casting Mel Gibson in his first film!

Can you discuss the events that led to you creating ASCA, an organisation that is dedicated to helping adult men and women come to terms with their childhood trauma of abuse?

I founded ASCA because I was stunned to discover there was no organisation in Australia committed to the healing of survivors of abuse. There was no "voice for survivors". No National organisation to stand up for survivors and the discriminatory treatment they receive. 

Would you say that you have come to terms with your own child abuse?

Come to terms with yes, but I will always be healing from the effects. I can honestly say that I have no regrets about what happened to me. It has made me the person I am.  It made me ambitious, determined, compassionate and I'm glad I do understand that there are no bad people in this world only people who have been hurt by adults and society. 

Why have you set up Mayumarri in the Hunter Valley? Is it linked to ASCA?

I wanted a place where survivors could come to heal. When I was healing I had to borrow a friends cottage. It is not possible to heal from child abuse in my opinion by a weekly one hour visit to a counsellor. (See Liz's Paper in the Centre's April Leading Issues Journal)

What does the term, ‘recovered memory’ mean in the context of child abuse?

It means that as an adult you remember a trauma that happened to you as a child which was so extreme that the only way you could cope was to forget. It happens to accident victims, holocaust survivors. All forms of trauma have the same effect. We estimate about 35% of victims of abuse suffer total amnesia, but accurate statistics are very difficult, as research into child abuse is very limited.

How do you define the word “abuse” in relation to child abuse?

Any treatment of a child which affects them as an adult. That is a definition in relation to ASCA, there are lots of definitions. We believe that all abuse is abhorrent. Abuse is about power.  

What are some of statistical facts about child abuse, that you find significant?

The one which has horrified me most recently is a NSW government one. In 1999 the juvenile detainees at Reiby were analysed. 87% of them had been notified to D.O.C.S. as being abused. 63% had been notified to DOCS on more the three occasions!!!!   Statistics vary so enormously, but anecdotally, alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless - a conservative figure would be that 70% have been abused. Abuse is behind all of society's problems. In a group we run with prostitutes, they reckoned 90% had been sexually abused! - makes sense.  I see the world a different way now.  I am much more sympathetic to addicts of every type.

Can you explain the link between suicide and child abuse as advocated by ASCA? 

96% of our members have contemplated suicide, 63% who had tried more than twice. Research is impossible. Although, there is beginning to be some research,  it will always underestimate. This is because 85% of abuse is within the home. Parents either don't know or won't tell!!

No, I admire the scheme run by the West Australian Government,  Safecare,  where if a perpetrator admits and apologises, he receives counselling and pays for the counselling for his family, then if the family agrees they are reconciled at the conclusion of counselling. It means instead of a child being responsible for the break up of their family, they are responsible for the healing of their family. It's the only way forward for society. While we make child abuse such a heinous crime, and while people say there is no healing possible, we are making it harder and harder for perpetrators to confess to their crimes. The greatest healing for any survivor is for their abuser to say sorry - Just like the stolen generation.

What do you believe makes healing possible for an individual who has been abused as a child?

A willingness to heal, to admit that they were abused and a determination to look back and allow themselves to feel the emotions they had to suppress, and also to allow themselves to feel happiness and joy, which also have not been experienced by many of our members ever, (again see Liz's Paper )

Are you directly involved in the counselling and healing of those who come to Mayumarri? 

I am. I don't consider myself a counsellor, but a listener who is happy to encourage anyone on their journey. 

How do you cope with dealing with the pain and depression that surrounds you? 

I try to bring joy and hope into people's lives. The dramatic change in the people who stay is wonderful to witness and very rewarding. They don't suffer depression while at Mayumarri, as depression is experienced when a person suppresses their pain.  At Mayumarri, we encourage our guests to express their feelings, not suppress them. All pain is a moving forward in their healing, so a joy to behold.

No. Just the occasional glam first night!

There is a greater advantage in belonging to no particular church, but if I was offered ordination by any church I might well accept because I see my ministry as a bridge between the church and people in pain. I think survivors have a great deal to give to the church. 

How do you feel about the future? 

Very optimistic. The world is growing in spirituality and as the world starts to understand about child abuse we will start to heal the anger and pain in the world.