The Shark Cage Program

The Shark Cage is an 8-week evidence-based group program for women who have experienced domestic and family violence or sexual abuse. Developed by Melbourne psychologist Ursula Benstead, it uses a powerful human rights framework to help you understand what happened, challenge self-blame, and rebuild your sense of self and your rights.

In a small, safe group you’ll explore what healthy relationships look like, learn about the impacts of trauma, build emotional regulation skills, develop assertiveness, and create your own personal Shark Cage – a set of rights and boundaries that belong to you.

Groups run in person at our Norwood rooms and online. Expression of interest is open now.

What you’ll cover:

• Understanding human rights and how abuse violates them
• Recognising healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns
• The impacts of trauma and how it shows up in your life
• Emotional regulation and self care
• Assertiveness and boundary setting
• Recognising potentially harmful behaviours in others
• Building a new, positive sense of self

Who is this group for?

This group is for women who have experienced more than one instance of abuse in their lives – whether that’s domestic and family violence, sexual abuse, or both. It’s particularly helpful if you’ve found yourself questioning whether what happened was really abuse, or blaming yourself for what you experienced.

What to expect 

The Shark Cage runs over 8 weeks with sessions of approximately 2 hours. Each session builds on the last, weaving together psychoeducation, creative activities, and group discussion in a trauma-informed, non-judgmental environment.

Groups are kept small to ensure everyone feels safe and heard. Both in-person and online options are available, with group composition guided by who expresses interest.

Ready to find out if this group is right for you?