Left Write Hook, a research-informed, trauma-aware initiative, is headed to Benalla. Photo: Breeana Dunbar.
When Lucy Lee first watched the documentary Left Write Hook at a screening in Melbourne, she knew it was something her own community needed to see.
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Lucy, who is the family violence and accommodation services manager at the Centre Against Violence, said the film resonated deeply because it centred around lived experience rather than statistics.
“It had a real impact on me, both personally and professionally,” she said.
“It stayed with me long after the credits rolled.
Left Right Hook follows victim-survivors as they reclaim strength through writing, non-contact boxing and connection. Photo: Robert Klarich.
“I could not stop thinking about the stories, the strength of the participants and how important it is for communities like ours to have these conversations.”
That conversation is coming to Benalla on Monday, April 20, when the Centre Against Violence presents a special screening of the award-winning documentary, followed by a live Q and A panel at the Benalla Cinema.
The film follows victim-survivors as they reclaim strength through writing, non-contact boxing and connection.
It has been widely recognised for its honesty and for creating space for conversations many communities struggle to have.
“Left Write Hook shows what healing can look like when survivors are supported to use both their voice and their body,” Lucy said.
Lucy Lee, the family violence and accommodation services manager at the Centre Against Violence, will be part of a Q and A panel following the screening of Left Right Hook in Benalla.
“It is confronting at times, but it is also deeply hopeful. It reminds us that recovery is possible and that community understanding plays a huge role.”
Following the screening, audience members will be invited to stay for the question and answer panel moderated by Centre Against Violence chief executive Jaime Chubb.
The panel brings together voices from the film and local services, including:
Donna Lyon, producer, child sexual abuse survivor, and Left Write Hook founder and chief executive
Shannon Owen, director and producer
Lucy Lee, Centre Against Violence
Lauren, Left Write Hook film participant
Pixie, Left Write Hook film participant
Lucy said the panel was not about providing answers, but about opening space for reflection and learning.
“People often worry about saying the wrong thing,” she said.
“This event invites people to listen, to sit with discomfort and to better understand the realities faced by victim-survivors in our community.”
Thanks to funding from the Kyamba Foundation, with additional support from Benalla Rural City Council, tickets are just $10 per person, making the event accessible to the wider Benalla community.
For women and gender diverse people who are victim-survivors of family or sexual violence, and want more than a conversation, Centre Against Violence is also hosting a free introductory Left Write Hook workshop the following day, on Wednesday, April 22.
The two-hour session is specifically for women and gender diverse victim survivors of childhood sexual abuse and gendered violence, and offers a gentle, supported introduction to the Left Write Hook program.
“This workshop is about choice, safety and respect,” Lucy said.
“It is designed for women and gender diverse people, and there is no pressure to share personal stories.
“No writing or boxing experience is needed, and participants can engage at their own pace.”
Led by Left Write Hook founder and chief executive Donna Lyon, the workshop introduces participants to trauma-aware writing and non-contact boxing, the same core elements used in the full eight-week program delivered nationally.
“The screening starts a conversation,” Lucy said.
“The workshop offers a next step for those who feel ready.”
Benalla’s Left Write Hook screening and Q and A panel takes place on Monday, April 20 from 6pm.
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