Reclaim. Rewrite. Release.
Empowering adult survivors of child sexual abuse and trauma to reclaim their bodies and rewrite their stories.
Upcoming events and programs
-
Mother tongue poetry x LWH
Friday 14 March 2025
Left Write Hook will be joining Mother Tongue to celebrate the publication of Ringside at Left Write Hook, a collection of writing from our Wyndham program.
-
Ballarat and Knox programs
May 2025 (exact dates TBC)
We are now accepting expressions of interest for our upcoming programs in Ballarat and Knox. Places are limited. Register your interest to find out more.
-
Documentary film screenings
Limited sessions and tickets remaining
Visit the Left Write Hook film website to find a screening near you, and to find out how you can host your own screening.
Left Write Hook in the media
-
Marie Claire
Amid Australia’s epidemic of sexual violence, a new wave of peer-led support groups is changing the way victim-survivors heal.
In a small gym in inner-city Melbourne, eight women are pounding punching bags. Every hook is charged with emotion, every jab a reclamation of control.
-
The Project
Transforming Trauma: The Boxing Writing Workshop for Survivors
Just a few years ago, Donna Lyons founded Left Write Hook, a boxing and writing workshop, that is helping transform the lives of survivors of complex traumas, empowering them to take back their power.
-
ABC news
Left Write Hook follows survivors of childhood sexual abuse reclaiming power through boxing
Left Write Hook's first 20 minutes are visceral, to the point that the documentary's producers questioned whether they could push audiences away entirely.
Watch Left Write Hook at a cinema near you
Limited sessions and tickets remaining. Don’t miss your last chance to see the award-winning Left Write Hook documentary on the big screen.
Latest news
-
![]()
Expressions of interest open for Ballarat and Knox
We are now accepting expressions of interest for our upcoming programs in Ballarat and Knox (EACH Boronia).
-
![]()
A message from our CEO to our Left Write Hook community
We currently have 350+ people on our waitlist. We know there is demand for our program, and we want to reach as many survivors as possible.
-
![]()
Expressions of interest open for February 2025 programs
We are now accepting expressions of interest for our upcoming programs in Manningham and Glen Eira.
-
![]()
Watch Left Write Hook at a cinema near you
Limited sessions and tickets remaining. Don’t miss your last chance to see the award-winning Left Write Hook documentary on the big screen.
-
![]()
Left Write Hook featured on The Project
Transforming Trauma: The Boxing Writing Workshop for Survivors - Left Write Hook feature story on Channel 10's The Project.
-
![]()
Left Write Hook documentary wins MIFF 2024 Audience Award
“We have shined a spotlight on shame. We have made something beautiful out of something sad and tragic. I’m so proud of our commitment and bravery.”
-
![]()
Australian Combat & Exercise and LWH announce education partnership
This collaboration will provide specialised boxing education, equipping LWH facilitators with essential skills to lead their recovery programs.
-
![]()
World premiere of Left Write Hook documentary
Today is the world premiere of the Left Write Hook documentary. The film will play at a black-carpet event presented by DECJUBA.
-
![]()
Are you eligible for our upcoming research trial?
Recruitment is open for our randomised control trial with the University of Melbourne.
-
![]()
MIFF tickets are on sale today
It's the time we've all been waiting for - tickets for the Left Write Hook documentary are now on sale!
Our impact to date
-
68
victim-survivor participants have completed the our flagship 8-week program. This number continues to grow.
-
14
individuals with lived/living experience have been upskilled to become Left Write Hook facilitators with over 285 hours of training.
-
10
programs have been delivered across various Melbourne suburbs.
-
> 50%
of our participants return for a second or third program.
Our work is informed by real-world research
-
There is a drop in participants’ scores, showing marked improvements in mental health.
-
There is a clear reduction in complex PTSD symptoms, helping survivors regain control over their lives.
-
Cognitive responses to trauma have improved, indicating healthier processing and coping mechanisms.
-
Cognitive responses to trauma have improved, indicating healthier processing and coping mechanisms.
Praise for
Left Write Hook
“Left Write Hook felt like I untangled my trauma from its tight little ball inside my chest - and when I spoke the thread of my experience connected with the experiences of other women - I realised this thread ran through not just my body but the bodies of other survivors.” - Erica
Left / Write // Hook: Survivor Stories from a Creative Arts Boxing and Writing Project
A curated book of writings that traces the profound impact of child sexual abuse and trauma on the lives of survivors and the positive impact of writing, boxing and peer support.