Left Write Hook in the media
Yarrawonga Chronicle
Survivor-led Left Write Hook events challenge silence around sexual violence
A survivor-led recovery program is prompting reflection, conversation and connection across Benalla and Beechworth, following a series of Left Write Hook documentary screenings and workshops.
The Courier
How a Ballarat boxing program is helping survivors rewrite their stories
Ballarat survivors of sexual abuse and gendered violence are taking part in a clinical trial to see whether boxing combined with expressive writing can help their recovery and wellbeing.
Wangaratta Chronicle
Punching trauma into recovery
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse and gendered violence in North East Victoria will have access to a rare, survivor‑led recovery experience later this month, when the award‑winning documentary Left Write Hook screens in Benalla and Beechworth.
ABC Shepparton
Left Write Hook screening
(Starts at 1hr06mins) Dr Donna Lyon joins Jo Printz to introduce the upcoming screening of the Left Write Hook documentary in Benalla.
ABC Melbourne Drive
(Starts at 2h18mins) Dr Donna Lyon joins Justin Smith to talk about the impact of childhood sexual abuse and how much boxing and writing helped her. She introduces Left Write Hook and how it impacts survivors.
The Spit Bucket – a boxing fanzine
Interview with Dr Donna Lyon, founder and CEO of Left Write Hook, a charity organisation based in Melbourne, Australia.
Benalla Ensign
Benalla Event: Left Write Hook Documentary + Live Q&A & Free Workshop
Experience a powerful night of storytelling, healing and connection as Left Write Hook comes to Benalla on Monday 20 April. Presented by Centre Against Violence, this special event features a screening of the award-winning documentary followed by an insightful live Q&A—and a free workshop the next day designed to support recovery and resilience.
ABC Listen Central Victoria
Left Write Hook, the documentary
(starts at 39mins) Pixie, Left Write Hook film participant and Kate Wright, CASA CV CEO, join Fiona Parker to talk about the program and the documentary, ahead of the Bendigo screening.
Wangaratta Chronicle
Documentary and survivor workshops to open local conversations.
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.
“It stayed with me long after the credits rolled,” Lucy said.
“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.”
Benalla Ensign
Powerful documentary and survivor workshop coming to Benalla
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.
The Australian
Abuse recovery program packs powerful punch.
The Left Write Hook program has been shown to reduce depression, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder and leave participants feeling strong with a sense of agency and belonging, says the charity founder, The University of Melbourne filmmaker Dr Donna Lyon.
Pressing:On with Claudia Nankervis
Empowering Survivors through Boxing and Creative Writing
Tune in to hear how Donna drew on her own lived experiences as a trauma survivor to create this unique and rapidly expanding charity. Learn more about Left, Write, Hook's flagship 8-week workshop, which was first held in 2019 and has led to a published book of survivor stories and more recently an award winning documentary now screening on Netflix.
Evaluation of the Left Write Hook program for men
Project Supervisor: Dr Caitlin Hitchcock
Additional Researchers: Dr Daniel Rylatt, Dr Donna Lyon, Dr Emma Veltman, Ms Molly Butler, Dr Alicia Smith
Published in February 2026
Pro Bono Australia
Rewriting the Script. Building What’s Next For Survivors
Donna Lyon, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne and the founder and CEO of Left Write Hook, a survivor-led charity combining writing, boxing, and peer support to support recovery from childhood sexual abuse and gendered violence.
The Australian
Gong contenders already making real-life difference
A charity helping people recover from child sexual abuse through boxing and writing, and a school-based anti-vaping program are among the finalists in Universities Australia’s Shaping Australia awards.
Women in Film & Television, Victoria
Member Spotlight - Donna Lyon
Each conversation with our extraordinary community of creatives reminds us why we exist: to celebrate, connect, and uplift the voices shaping our screen industry. This month’s conversation with Dr Donna Lyon is especially powerful, exploring creativity, healing, and the impact of childhood sexual assault.
What I Wish I Knew At 30:
Turning Trauma Into Purpose Through Creativity & Empowerment
Discover how filmmaker and charity CEO Donna Lyon transformed trauma, addiction, and adversity into a life of purpose, creativity, and empowerment. In this compelling episode host Fran Harper dives into Donna’s journey from “surviving” to “leading,” and how her organisation Left Write Hook helps survivors heal through storytelling, movement, and community.
The North Central Review
MACEDON Ranges Shire Council
Proud to support Respect Victoria and Safe + Equal by partnering with local organisations to deliver a range of activities for the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence next month.
Mirage News
Macedon Ranges And 16 Days Of Activism
Council is proud to support Respect Victoria and Safe + Equal by partnering with local organisations to deliver a range of activities for the UN 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, running from 25 November to 10 December.
University of Melbourne
VCA filmmakers win award for Left Write Hook documentary
Dr Shannon Owen and A/Prof Donna Lyon from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) have been awarded the Distinguished Innovation in Creative Arts Award at the 2025 Deans and Directors of Creative Art (DDCA) Awards for their documentary Left Write Hook.