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Jess Denham

Jess Denham

Australian world champion steeplechase runner and survivor-advocate Jess Denham (born Jessica Gilfillan), who broke her silence about childhood abuse by her parents and campaigns for survivor rights.

Aug 26, 2026

16:55
... how did it feel to finally talk about it?
17:01
It was scary.
17:01
[scoffs] Again, I, I think it was just that focus point of, "I need to get this done," and not thinking about kind of what's next, you know? And I think that that's how I've actually...
17:18
It, it was in a sense a different type of survival, you know.
17:21
Um, and I think that's the thing with, with, you know, getting out of, of and, and escaping trauma, and then the post-trauma, you know, post-traumatic stress disorder.
17:33
Actually then living with trauma, but then being re-traumatized by that, what is actually happening.
17:40
You know, and that, and that is a different type of survival.

7 MINS LATER

25:04
And I really want people to know that this is caused from abuse.
16:55
... how did it feel to finally talk about it?
17:01
It was scary.
17:01
[laughs] Again, I, I think it was just that focus point of, "I need to get this done," and not thinking about kind of what's next, you know? And I think that that's how I've actually...
17:18
It, it was in a sense a different type of survival, you know.
17:21
Um, and I think that's the thing with, with, you know, getting out of, of and, and escaping trauma, and then the post-trauma, you know.
17:31
Post-traumatic stress disorder.
17:33
Actually then living with trauma, but then being re-traumatized by that, what is actually happening.

7 MINS LATER

25:04
And I really want people to know that this is caused from abuse.

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