Handing the Shame Back

Meet Karen Shell
Survivor. Nonprofit Founder. Champion for Kids. Entrepreneur

Karen was raised in a family where her father was not just sexually abusive, but mentally, physically and psychologically as well. Out of the 4 children, it was she that was the target, and as a result, her childhood was miserable. What she did, and how she managed to turn it around is inspiring.

To reach Karen, email: info@karenshell.com

For more inform...

NZ Herald interviews Gloria and her partner Detective Inspector Scott Beard on the Global Hand Sign for Under 16’s to use, showing they are not safe and being sexually abused. Have a watch and listen of this, as this couple sets out to #LetsSaveSomeKids across the globe.

Read the full article here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/top-police-detective-scott-beard-backing-hand-signal-to-prevent-child-sex-abuse/YCVBDIO2WBAFFOTIH727EQLRX...

Meet Jeremy R.
Survivor. Content Creator. Writer

He was born with Spina Bifida and his parents were told he would never walk let alone live. He is now in his 40’s.

He was 5 years old when his female abuser first started grooming, manipulating and then abusing him. This was to go on for over 4 years, until he became hospitalised and eventually home schooled.

For more information, resources, or coaching — whether you are a survivor...

Being interviewed by Nick on MoreFM Rodney was empowering. Being able to discuss the book; Keeping Kids Safe which is now in every school in NZ, honouring. It is time for the world to join the campaign to educate and resource our children on how to Keep Safe. So grateful to have been on air for this one. Thanks to Nick and Anna, the cycle has begun.

For more on us, go to: handingtheshameback.org

We are on all social media platforms:...

Rest and Recovery are essential for survivors. Though not often discussed it is crucial for survivors to rest deeply when dealing with this. Thinking about or working through your trauma, reignites it and this leads to the exact same trauma responses you experienced as a child. What was unavailable to you then was resting and recovering from it, especially if the abuser was a family member. Don’t underestimate the healing resting p...

Q&A Session

Join us on this Q&A Session where Gloria answers a range of questions posed by you, the Survivors. One for this month includes: how do you explain the hand sign to younger children. The questions are pertinent, and Gloria, as always provides calm and measured responses that helps restore grace and acceptance to these difficult experiences.

For more information, resources, or coaching — whether you are a survivor o...

Meet Cadence P.
Survivor. Poet. Advocate

She was abused by her godmother and her godmother’s father. She was heavily manipulated and groomed to the point where, they made her lie and say it was her brother who was abusing her. This eventuated in him being removed from the home and sent to juvenile then foster care. She was 3 when the abuse began.

You can reach out to Cadence here: https://www.instagram.com/cadence_p.2025/

HELP

Having survived this trauma, understand that your body went into the 4 trauma responses, fight, flight, freeze of fawn. Reason: You had a lot of adrenaline cursing through you as you were in survival mode. This affected your central nervous system including mentally, emotionally and physiologically. Now as an adult that is safe, you will became drained when dealing with it, there will feel a natural level of flatness or needing res...

Handing the Shame Back is proud to return for the third year in a row with our GLOBAL AWARENESS DAY (16 June).

This day is dedicated to raising awareness of child sexual abuse, honouring adult survivors — including those who didn’t make it, and most importantly, shifting the silence.

WHEREVER YOU ARE in the world, we invite you to join us for a 30-minute walk at 10am local time. If 16 June falls on a weekday, feel...

Reg Johnston
Survivor. Trauma Informed AOD Clinician. Survivor Advocate

Reg was abused by his sister 13 years older than him, who groomed him at the age of 12 mainly through the use of pornography. His home life consisted of confused boundaries, with secrets and lies always a feature. He wants people to know that drugs and alcohol don’t define you, in most cases they are just symptoms of the abuse that occurred.

HELP
NZ Sexua...

The known facts about being triggered are these: We don't know when they're going to occur, or how they will occur. What this means is that we cannot prepare for that which we cannot know. These triggers can appear through anything that involves one or any of the five senses; sight, smell, sound, taste, or touch: triggering a memory or experience of the abuse we suffered. There is nothing we can do to stop that, but there...

Q&A Session

Join us on this Q&A Session where Gloria answers questions posed by you, the Survivors. Ranging from how to manage a family who still believe the predator, to is it even possible to go on to have a loving and healthy relationship as an adult. The range of questions is moving, and Gloria, as always provides calm and measured responses that helps restore grace and acceptance to these difficult experiences.

For more...

Meet Diane Payne
Survivor

Diane was sexually abused by her brother-in-law from age 12 to 16. He was 24 when it started. She told no one for 40 years. Fast forward 4 years, & last year he finally got convicted in NZ. He got home detention for 8 months, due to a plea deal & the laws in the 1980's, when the abuse occurred. Don’t miss her story here.

You can reach out to Diane here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram....

Feelings of shame and guilt are common to Survivors. This is especially true if we had siblings we felt we couldn't protect, or that we had to lie to protect the abuser which hurt our siblings even more. There is a process over time of healing, which requires great self compassion and tenderness. Don’t rush it and please give yourself some grace. The blame and shame never belonged to you.

Watch the full clip here: https://yout...

Meet Sue Philip
Survivor

Sue was abused from preschool age by her father. She blocked the memories out for many years until she was in her 40’s.. Her parents were part of the mormon church, and it was not until she left the church as an adult, that she was able to remember the details of what her father had done to her and her siblings.

Watch the full clip here: https://youtu.be/NrhT15r_iqQ 

HELP
NZ Sexual Harm Helpline, 0800...

Many people consider that mind games are something that are done to us and that we are being manipulated by others. No one ever considers the bigger truth: that we play mind games with ourselves, more than with any other person, and we do it in a multitude of ways: like testing ourselves, overthinking, questioning ourselves and through sabotaging ourselves! The point being we are constantly undermining who we are by doing this. We...

On behalf of Handing the Shame Back, I had the privilege of presenting to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Child Sex Trafficking within NZ, (we are wanting increased penalties added to the slavery offences amendment bill). Although the experience was daunting, the submission was well received.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/GwndoRE3kRI

Video source: New Zealand Parliament

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Meet Hanz Freller
Survivor Advocate. Dad. Author

He was abused in care by a St John of God Brother. The abuse was to span several years and was calculated and manipulative in the grooming of him throughout those vulnerable teenage years.

You can reach out to Hanz here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hanz.freller
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanzfreller

HELP
NZ Sexual Harm Helpline, 0800 044 334 or text 433...

First Q&A Session

Join us on this, our very first Q&A Session where Gloria answers questions posed by you, ‘yes you’, the Survivors. Ranging from what to look for in kids who are being trafficked to coping with seeing your child experience the worst trauma possible, Gloria provides calm and measured responses that help soothe and restore equilibrium to these difficult experiences.

For more information, resources, or coaching...