Blue Borage Conversation Café: A Safe Space for Courageous Conversations

At Blue Borage, we are amplifying the voices of four international survivor-authors and leaders in advocacy who courageously shared their stories through their writing.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Blue Borage Conversation Café in January 2025. Four very special women are coming together for live conversations about their memoirs and their unique journeys from child victims to empowered advocates and creators.

Our first Conversation Cafe in January was a unique event!

Survivor-authors: Alice Perle, Diane Tarantini, Jane Epstein, and Maria Socolof—have supported each other’s work since meeting in recent years. They have held out their hands to welcome each new memoir release, knowing that such stories have power! They also know how vulnerable it is to do so. All chose to author memoirs that confront the reality of sibling sexual abuse and trauma, helping to break the silence and raise awareness internationally.

Between February and May 2025, we will move on to spotlight one of these authors each month as our guest.

These conversations provide a unique opportunity to focus, to hear directly from each author, ask them your burning questions, and explore the themes of their books in a supportive environment.

The memoirs were written as acts of self-love and empowerment, but they hold much more than personal healing—they carry valuable wisdom for all of us.

AuthorBook TitleAuthor’s Website with links to purchase the memoir in paperback, eBook or audio formatConversation Date
(Check the timezone conversion here)
Jane EpsteinI Feel Real Guilty: A Memoir of Sibling Sexual Abuse released in late 2024https://www.jane-epstein.com/Wed, 12 Feb, 10:00am AEST
Maria SocolofThe Invisible Key: Unlocking the Mystery of My Chronic Pain released in 2020https://healingfromchronicpain.com/Wed, 12 Mar, 10:00am AEST
Diane TarantiniEveryone Was Silent: A Memoir released in early 2024https://dianetarantini.com/Wed, 9 Apr, 10:00am AEST
Alice PerleResolve: A Story of Courage, Healthy Inquiry and Recovery from Sibling Sexual Abuse released in 2023https://www.aliceperle.com.au
Wed, 7 May, 10:00am AEST
Global conversations are now possible.

Until now, there has been no dedicated space to discuss these works freely and openly with an audience, with people of lived experience, let alone with a global audience.

What we’ve found is that:

  • It’s a common rule within any Facebook group that participants are not to market services or books. Someone usually goes too far when it is allowed, ruining it for the rest in most cases, anyway.
  • Unfortunately, given that these four books are the first of their kind, speaking up as survivors of the most common form of intrafamilial sexual abuse and the only books written between 2020 and 2024, most groups’ rules preclude sharing these stories openly with survivors who are seeking peer support.
  • Peer support groups are mostly about writing thoughts or comments, not saying the words out loud.
  • Podcasts are great to listen to, but that’s it; it’s just listening.

That all contributed to the launch of the Blue Borage Conversation Café.

Verbalising the words, experiencing communication, and healthy inquiry are powerful. Engaging in conversation with interested, like-minded people who wish to make the world a safer and kinder place is where we’re headed!

Who is it for?
  • Survivors and others affected by sibling sexual abuse, their allies, advocates, educators, mental health professionals, social workers, and researchers.
  • People interested in opening up the dialogue about sibling sexual abuse and harmful sibling sexual behaviour, including healing, disclosures, justice, and empowerment beyond the trauma.

Whether you are just beginning your journey of healing or are a long-time advocate or person who has supported families, these sessions will provide a safe, gentle and supportive space for sharing stories, asking questions, and inspiring others to take action.

How will it work?

In keeping with these Conversation Café Agreements, the format will follow structured rounds to ensure that participants have the opportunity to contribute.

There is no pressure to talk, but conversation is really the key here if you dare.

We request that you submit your one-burning question at the time of purchasing your ticket to each event. Ticket sales close 12 hours prior to the start time unless we sell out earlier.

This will give the authors time to select the questions that resonates with them the most. One good idea: Consider raising questions with a particular author during their spotlight conversation between February and May. However, no questions will be ignored. We’ll be working on how to share responses to as many questions as we can.

This is new to us too, so we are adopting the beginner’s mindset and taking baby steps forward to make this happen.

A few more things:
  • The conversation will be guided and facilitated by Alice Perle, adhering to time and topic boundaries, to ensure it is respectful and productive for everyone involved.
  • We will be recording these sessions solely for the organiser’s use. The video and audio recordings will never be shared.
  • No participant is permitted to record or take video/photos.
  • Spaces are limited to ensure a safe, respectful environment.
  • Video participation is encouraged unless privacy needs dictate otherwise.
  • The sessions will run for 60 minutes, with punctuality a key value to limit disruption.
  • We start and will end on time.
  • Everyone is welcome to enter the Zoom room up to 10 minutes before kick-off to take a breath, settle in and say hello.

What will it cost?
  • A participation fee of AUD$40 per attendee covers pre- and post-event administration with a lived-experience donation option (see EventBrite).
  • If more than one person is attending from the same Zoom screen, each participant is required to register and pay via EventBrite.
  • This ensures we create a conscious, safe space where we know who is with us.

This is a unique space and a special moment in history.

It is rare for those affected by sibling sexual abuse to ever gather around such a ‘virtual table’ with others who have experienced the same. Expect there to be a sense of compassion, understanding and vulnerability amongst those present. We will hold a space for each survivor in our hearts as we begin these conversations. Know that you will feel seen and that we will hear you. We hope that you will come back each month so that you enjoy growth and connection within this community.

Never in any of our earlier decades would these survivor authors have imagined discussing sibling sexual abuse every day. Let alone doing so comfortably or with a vision for what is possible. It’s only the beginning!

Join us in practising courageous conversations on a topic that has long been a universal taboo. It’s time we start saying the words out loud.

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