Jas describes her experiences with domestic violence as a young teen, which included she and her mother running through the bush to seek safety and then spending 9 months in a safe house.

Jas's experiences with her father’s emotional abuse, led to self-esteem and body image struggles, highlighting the deep impact of non-physical forms of abuse. She lost her abusive Dad to suicide at 18 but was able to rebuild her life and learn to thrive.

Jas changed her life to ensure her son’s different upbringing, emphasising the importance of breaking the cycle of abuse and negative patterns.

Why non-physical forms of domestic violence (such as gaslighting and coercive control) are just as dangerous as physical violence, and how young people can learn to spot the red flags early

Jas's journey from suffering to becoming an advocate for abuse survivors, stressing the importance of mentorship, especially for men, and its effects on mental health.

In her book "The Stories We Carry," Jas emphasises changing one’s perception and narrative to break free from trauma, fostering hope and personal growth. Jas recounts her transition from feeling voiceless to finding strength through drama and theatre, and ultimately becoming a powerful voice for abuse survivors.

Biography

Jas Rawlinson is an award-winning keynote speaker, advocate and author who empowers survivors and communities to transform shame into strength through the power of storytelling.

Combining her lived experience as a domestic/sexual violence survivor, with a bachelors' degree in creative writing and psychology, Jas is highly renowned for her natural ability to break through stigmatized social issues, and has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide.

She's the author of the best-selling memoir 'The Stories We Carry', and the suicide prevention series 'Reasons to Live', both of which have been endorsed by names such as Lifeline, ABC, Women's Legal Service QLD & America's National Centre on Sexual Exploitation.

Jas is also a proud anti-trafficking ambassador who has spent time with survivors and investigators in SE Asia, and in 2022, swam with sharks on reality TV to end child abuse (before an audience of 100 million) on Channel 7's award-winning TV series 'Adventure All Stars'.

Above all, Jas believes that everyone has a story with the power to inspire, impact, and change lives.

Social Media Links

www.jasrawlinson.com/speaking

www.jasrawlinson.com/thestorieswecarry

www.instagram.com/jas_rawlinson

www.facebook.com/jasrawlinsonofficial

*****

We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes.

Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.

If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contact

We hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!

Warmly,

The Kintsugi Heroes team

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Theme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.