Ally Levinson

I believe prevention is one of the greatest acts of hope. Every person deserves to live free from violence, exploitation, trauma, and fear, yet too often our systems respond only after immense harm has occurred. Having experienced psychological abuse myself, I understand how coercion and control can remain hidden, misunderstood, and minimised. That experience strengthened my resolve to ensure others are seen, believed, and supported before harm escalates.

For more than two decades, I have dedicated my career to improving the lives of vulnerable Australians, working alongside people with disability, expecting and parenting teenagers, multicultural women, young people, and survivors of trauma, human trafficking, and exploitation. I have led innovative programs that turn ideas into practical solutions, always focused on creating lasting, systemic change.

As General Manager of Be Hers Foundation, I walk alongside women rebuilding their lives after trauma, violence, trafficking, and exploitation. We provide care coordination, education and employment pathways, and, above all, consistent support. Many women tell us they never realised they were being exploited until long after the damage had been done. Their stories reinforce one undeniable truth: we are intervening too late.

In response, I am developing the Spectrum of Exploitation Prevention Framework and the Continuum of Care Model to identify the pathway from vulnerability to exploitation and provide practical opportunities for prevention. By recognising the warning signs of coercion, grooming, control, and vulnerability, I believe we can stop exploitation before it occurs.

My vision is to help build a future where prevention is embedded across our systems, people are recognised and supported before exploitation takes hold, and everyone has the opportunity to live with freedom, safety, and hope. Lasting change begins by changing one life at a time.