This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its unique location you possibly can go to the hyperlink bellow: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/28/moment-i-knew-witnessing-trauma-refugee-detention-centreand if you wish to take away this text from our web site please contact us [ad_1] I met Rohan in 1998 in Lismore, New South Wales, the place we had been each going to college. Before that, I’d observed him round city in his sarong and peacock feather earrings. He was distinctive and barely dandyish, generally carrying attire on campus. I had one other companion on the time however our mutual good friend launched us, and Rohan and I grew to become housemates.We bonded dwelling collectively and internet hosting dinner events, the place we’d discuss life and politics properly into the evening. I used to be intrigued by his mates. One time Rohan invited a member of the Black Panthers to return and keep at our home.After that yr in Lismore, Rohan went to dwell on Lamb Island in Queensland and we misplaced contact. Then in 2001 we reconnected at a May Day rally in Naarm. We went to see his good friend’s folks punk band Mutiny enjoying on the Tote resort and, as a result of I used to be dwelling close by, I invited him to remain over. In these days numerous mates stayed in my mattress, partly for comfort as I lived near the social gathering precinct. We did share some intimacy that evening however in my thoughts it was nonetheless fairly informal.We began hanging out once more and launched into a street journey to attend a protest at Woomera within the South Australian desert. The Howard authorities had arrange a detention centre the place refugees had been being imprisoned. My position was to supply first support for injured protesters whereas Rohan was serving to to arrange the protest camp.On the primary evening we had been sleeping behind the automobile when the police turned up and began arresting folks. After that I used to be on edge and couldn’t sleep a lot.Liza Shaw and Rohan Wightman bushwalking within the Blue Mountains, NSW, final yrThere had been quite a lot of traumatic moments over these days of the protest, from that first evening to detained refugees coming as much as the fence and attempting desperately to flee. There was one incident the place a mom handed her youngster to Rohan by a small gap within the fence. These occasions took a deep emotional toll on us.After the protests wrapped up, we received a resort room collectively in Port Augusta. I keep in mind we held one another and cried, comforting one another from the human trauma we had witnessed. I had a sense of Rohan being my protected house the place I might share this launch and catharsis. I realised we didn’t simply maintain the identical political values however might additionally present one another with that deep stage of emotional help. I’d by no means felt that approach with anybody earlier than.It’s loopy to suppose that was over 20 years in the past. Since then, we’ve lived in Darwin, travelled in Asia and moved to Castlemaine. After our daughter Ksenya was born, parenting grew to become all-consuming, so protesting took a again seat. Rohan has labored as a instructor, typically in deprived colleges, and I’m a well being promotion officer, so I really feel like we’re nonetheless making a optimistic affect for the group.Rohan has been a fantastic father and is at all times prepared to speak by the challenges we’ve confronted as mother and father. He’s positively not an alpha male – he doesn’t show that type of poisonous masculinity, although he is usually a bit despondent on the state of the world. But we nonetheless have nice enjoyable collectively and I like his beneficiant spirit and sense of journey. And after I’m with him, he’s nonetheless my protected house.Tell us the second you knewDo you have a romantic realisation you'd like to share? From quiet domestic scenes to dramatic revelations, Guardian Australia wants to hear about the moment you knew you were in love","prompt":"Share your experience","displayOnSensitive":false,"elementId":"15060b58-bb6c-4a2a-b4d2-53a81cfcd642","title":"Share your love story","isNonCollapsible":false,"formFields":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"name","id":"152749359","hideLabel":false,"label":"Name","hidden":false,"type":"text","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"where_do_you_live","id":"152749360","hideLabel":false,"label":"Where do you live?","hidden":false,"type":"text","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"tell_us_a_bit_about_yourself_eg_age_and_what_you_do_for_a_living","id":"152749361","hideLabel":false,"label":"Tell us a bit about yourself (e.g. age and what you do for a living)","hidden":false,"type":"text","required":false},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"tell_us_a_bit_about_where_and_when_your_moment_took_place","id":"152749362","hideLabel":false,"label":"Tell us a bit about where and when your moment took place?","hidden":false,"type":"textarea","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"tell_us_a_little_bit_about_the_moment_itself","id":"152749390","hideLabel":false,"label":"Tell us a little bit about the moment itself?","hidden":false,"type":"textarea","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldRadio","name":"are_you_comfortable_with_a_journalist_contacting_you_and_your_partner_for_this_story","options":[{"label":"Yes","value":"Yes"},{"label":"No","value":"No"}],"id":"152749363","hideLabel":false,"label":"Are you comfortable with a journalist contacting you and your partner for this story?","hidden":false,"type":"radio","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldRadio","name":"are_you_comfortable_sharing_pictures_for_this_story","options":[{"label":"Yes","value":"Yes"},{"label":"No","value":"No"}],"id":"152749392","hideLabel":false,"label":"Are you comfortable sharing pictures for this story?","hidden":false,"type":"radio","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"email_address_","description":"Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.","id":"152749365","hideLabel":false,"label":"Email address ","hidden":false,"type":"text","required":true},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutFormFieldBase","name":"phone_number","description":"Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.","id":"152749364","hideLabel":false,"label":"Phone number","hidden":false,"type":"text","required":false}],"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.CalloutBlockElementV2","tagName":"aus-callout-the-moment-i-knew","activeFrom":1764201600000,"id":"ca3bbad7-15e4-43a5-902a-1ced7fc3cdbc","calloutsUrl":"https://callouts.guardianapis.com/formstack-campaign/submit","formId":5480186},"pageId":"lifeandstyle/2026/jun/28/moment-i-knew-witnessing-trauma-refugee-detention-centre"}">Share your expertiseShare your love storyDo you've a romantic realisation you'd wish to share? From quiet home scenes to dramatic revelations, Guardian Australia needs to listen to in regards to the second you knew you had been in loveYour responses, which could be nameless, are safe as the shape is encrypted and solely the Guardian has entry to your contributions. We will solely use the information you present us for the aim of the function and we'll delete any private knowledge once we now not require it for this objective. For alternative routes to get in contact securely please see our ideas information.Show extra [ad_2] This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its unique location you possibly can go to the hyperlink bellow: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/28/moment-i-knew-witnessing-trauma-refugee-detention-centreand if you wish to take away this text from our web site please contact us