I was raped by Bill Shorten in 1986 at a Labor Youth Camp at Portarlington, Victoria, when I was a 16 year-old minor and he was my senior, an adult.

For many years I have tried to have my voice heard. I have reported my assault to police and to Members of Parliament.

The response from those in the legal and political system has been to silence me, to protect one of Australia’s most powerful men, while he made his political ascent to alternative Prime Minister of the country.

I first reported the assault prior to Bill Shorten entering parliament.

I am not politically motivated in my pursuit of justice. I simply need to be heard and believed. I have been attacked and ridiculed on social media for telling the truth about my rape. I have been accused of being politically motivated by those on my own side of politics. I am now apolitical.

After I was assaulted, I was in shock and terrified of the consequences if I told anyone.

Up until that time, I had idealistic and political aspirations, not because I wanted to be a ‘career politician’, but because I could continue to make positive changes for people, especially those without a voice.

Since the rape, I have lost faith in the Labor Party and politics in general. I am broken.

This is what rape does to a woman. You are forever damaged. Even if your assailant is charged and convicted you can never be the same.

My aspirational potential was never realised.

When I look back now in hindsight, my one regret has been to not tell more people at the time. I was in shock. I felt shame. I was confused. I ignored the truth, thinking if I moved on, my life might return to some sort of normality. I’ve learned rapists rely on their victims staying silent.

Many women stay silent.

I have reached out to people on ‘my side’ of politics.

None have helped me.

Instead they have ignored me or tried to shut me down.

I was once an idealistic adolescent, believing I could help ‘change the world’.

The rape and my treatment since has left me a shattered woman. I have not been able to have a normal long term relationship.

I was once hopeful and trusting. I am now suspicious, cynical and constantly on the defensive, with my guard up.

I have been broken by the people I looked up to.

Today, I am apolitical. I have no political affiliation. I consider myself a humanitarian. I have worked as a social and aged care worker, until a workplace accident lifting an aged patient damaged my spinal cord. I am in constant emotional and physical pain.

I am also a cancer survivor. I’m saying this because I am often asked why I have not fought harder for Justice. I have been fighting for my mental and physical survival. Dealing with justice for my rape has come second to dealing with my immediate health. Having said that, I have tried many times over the past 20 years to be heard. I have been ignored by people and systems who I thought could and would help me. I have been failed.

In 2014 my case was investigated by detectives at SOCIT (Sexual Offenders and Child Abuse Investigations Team) at Victoria Police (VicPol).

There are 1,700 pages in the Victoria Police files, plus audio interviews.

The file went to the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) to charge my rapist.

However, to my shock and dismay, Victoria Police stated at the time, “Investigating Police sought advice from the Office of Public Prosecutions, which advised there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.”

Yet, the OPP and Victoria Police pursued George Pell for an historical sex allegation with less actual evidence or witnesses.

Why am I being denied justice by the OPP and Victoria Police?

Grace Tame has been named Australian of the Year for speaking out about the sexual abuse she experienced as a minor.

Brittany Higgins is being lauded as a woman of courage for speaking out about being raped in Parliament House, interviewed by journalists and invited to speak at rallies and the Press Club.

But I am shunned.

I have credible reason to suspect my Victoria Police file was not read, but ignored by the OPP due to political and personal affiliations with my assailant by persons in the OPP. If true, there has been a political cover up of my case, potentially amounting to a perversion of justice.

Journalists who should know better, and supporters of my rapist now say Bill Shorten has been ‘cleared of rape’.

He has not.

This fake narrative has been repeated on social media, to my dismay.

I have applied numerous times for my file to be released to me through Freedom Of Information (FOI) laws so I can truly determine if there has been a cover up.

I have been denied my files, time and time again, as recently as the past few weeks.

This denial further confirms my belief there is a cover up. Why fight so hard to hide something if there is nothing to hide?

Times have changed since 2014 when my case was investigated.

The #MeToo movement gave me renewed hope women will be heard. But I am not heard.

Over the past year, I have watched as my own (former) Labor Party has pursued a political opponent, Christian Porter, over an alleged historic rape.

The Labor Party has framed itself as the party that fights for ‘justice for women’.

Yet politicians and journalists, have not helped me get justice.

I have come to the sad realisation they do not really care about women or victims of rape. They are using rape to destroy an opponent. It’s about their own political agenda.

They will not listen to me.

They have shut me down.

They try to discredit me.

I have been left abandoned and alone.

I now have no other option but to fight on my own.

I do not have the funds for justice.

Today I am a disabled pensioner with little money at the end of the week.

I do not have powerful connections.

I only have this website, and the hope of the people of Australia.

I tell my story in 26 brief chapters on this website.

I have raised around $11,000 through GoFundMe to retrieve my files under Freedom Of Information laws. I have spoken to law firms and private investigators and told that is far from enough money. Those funds are now quarantined in an account.

I will need to hire a law firm to apply for my files for a civil case against my rapist.

I need your help, Australia. Please visit my Legal Fight page if you would like to help.

All monies raised will go only towards my legal fees. I will transparently disclose what my legal costs are as they arise.

You can follow me on my Facebook Support and Twitter pages for updates.

I have no idea how much my fees will be at this point. Funds raised over and above my legal fees will be donated to a women’s shelter or rape and domestic violence support agency. I am happy to speak to any support groups after my fight.

I will not profit from the funds raised

A special plea from me to the media. Bill Shorten is renowned for sending out legal threats to any news organisation or media outlet that allows my voice to be heard. These threats have caused my voice to be shut down many times.

Bill Shorten is bluffing.

He does not want to face me in court. He does not want me or himself cross-examined.

Please do not be complicit in silencing me. Please allow me to be heard.

If you receive legal threats from Bill Shorten, please call his bluff. Stay strong and help me be heard.

Tell Bill Shorten to bring it on.

I will be your prime witness.

Please support victims of rape.

To everyone else who has donated so far to my GoFundMe page, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I appreciate your support more than you will ever know.

Kathy Sherriff.

If you would like to donate to my fighting fund for civil action against my attacker please read my Legal Fight page.

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