One Plus One: Survivors

ABC interview program One Plus One is airing a special 3-part feature series called ‘Survivors’, as host Jane Hutcheon interviews three individuals who speak about their journey after suffering mental and physical trauma and in the case of author and former sex-worker Geena Leigh, sexual abuse by her father.

Geena speaks about the powerlessness she felt around her Dad, who abused her when she was a small girl. She slept rough for a time before becoming a sex-worker. During almost two decades of working in brothels, she became addicted to alcohol and drugs at various times.

“Sometimes you can ask for help and it won’t be there,” Geena says in the interview.

“It’s still hard to talk about it, so for self-preservation, you don’t allow yourself to go there very easily.”

Bali Bombing survivor Peter Hughes, speaks candidly about the dark moments that still engulf him, despite twelve years since the attacks.

“I’m not special,” he tells Hutcheon.

“I keep it real. I live a life that I cherish and I live every moment even more so now since the bombings,” he said.

And Damien Thomlinson, a former Special Forces Commando who lost his legs in Afghanistan after a bomb exploded under his vehicle said…

“The incident was the best thing that happened to me. Easily,” says the double amputee.

“The only thing that should matter to you is what’s around the next corner, why be worrying about something that you can’t change that’s in your past.”

The three episodes will air as follows:
Friday 17 October – Peter Hughes
Friday 24 October – Geena Leigh
Friday 31 October – Damien Thomlinson

Airs Friday, 17, 24 & 31 October at 10am on ABC and repeated 8:30pm on ABC News 24.