Children’s book giving hope beyond family violence
Ashton Kline struggled to come to terms with his own pain, let alone explain the brutal circumstances of his mother’s death to his younger brother.
At just 15 years old, he faced an unimaginable situation when he witnessed his six-year-old brother, Grant Monks, murder their mother at the hands of their father.
With limited support available in the early 2000s, she believes a storybook designed to help victim survivors feel less alone could make a significant difference.
“While this storybook does not reveal the specific details of domestic murders, it does offer hope,” Mr Kline told AAP.
“One of the things that could have helped me was being able to contextualize this for my brother and put what was happening into plain language for him.”
Ally Needs It Now was created with the help of a peer support group and researchers to help children recover from the pain of fatal domestic violence.
The book follows Ally, a little rhinoceros, as she recovers from the loss of a loved one due to domestic violence and the silence and stigma that often accompanies this experience.
From the University of Melbourne, Dr. The book was developed after researchers identified a lack of specialized support for child victims, Katitza Marinkovic Chavez told AAP.
“It’s really hard for children to grow up feeling like they have their own story,” Dr Marinkovic Chavez said.
“We lack opportunities for children and young people to connect with others with similar experiences. Many grow up feeling like they are the only ones.
“This storybook was created so that people living the experience can share their wisdom, skills and stories with others.”
It has also been cited as a key resource by Victoria’s Center of Excellence in Child and Family Welfare.
Mr Kline’s mother, Viola, was killed in September 2000 after she was lured to the family caravan in northern Victoria under false pretenses.
He believes the book could reassure him and his brother that others have experienced similar traumas and that healing is possible.
The resource also provides some talking points that can help start the conversation.
“This storybook truly shines a light on the invisible,” Mr. Kline added.
“We often forget that the effects of trauma are lifelong – they affect you forever, and the sooner we can deal with such challenges, the sooner we can begin to heal and understand ourselves.
“We never let go of that trauma, but it was really important for people to understand what trauma was like… to understand that and move forward.”
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Male Referral Service 1300 766 491
Child Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
