Cherie Abernerthy is taking part in Bravehearts 777 Marathon. Photo: Supplied.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to child sexual abuse.
Illawarra woman Cherie Abernethy is lacing up for Bravehearts 777 Marathon in a powerful mission to educate and protect children from the trauma she endured in silence for decades.
As a survivor of child sexual abuse, Cherie will run alongside Wollongong businessman Mark Upton and Shellharbour police detective Jason Quigley as the three Illawarra inclusions in the national event spanning seven marathons in seven consecutive days across seven states.
It aims to raise awareness about Bravehearts’ vital child protection work, something she’s passionate about as an advocate for reform and education.
Cherie was sexually abused by a teacher in a remote school in the 1960s when she was six years old.
“He said, ‘We share a special secret and you mustn’t tell anybody’,” she said.
“I didn’t ever tell anybody. I was too innocent. I didn’t know what he’d done.”
She said it wasn’t until adolescence that she fully understood what had happened to her, by which time she’d developed a fear that it was all her fault.
After decades of silence, she finally shared the details in a private session with a commissioner at the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Cherie said he recommended she have it investigated, leading her on a difficult path of facing her perpetrator in a police operation and enduring a gruelling three days on the stand in court. Others abused by the teacher were part of the court case.
It resulted in her abuser’s conviction and imprisonment in 2020.
“I think that’s pretty amazing, because there weren’t many that the Royal Commission were able to initiate a police investigation for and put somebody in jail,” she said.
“After the interview with the Royal Commission, they gave me a heap of paperwork to look at if I wanted to. I saw Bravehearts mentioned.”
She said Bravehearts’ work to educate children to speak up was something she wished she’d had as a child.
Through learning about it, she stumbled across the marathon, deciding to join the Sydney leg in 2022.
“In 2023, hubby and I drove down to Melbourne for the event and we decided then we wanted to do all seven of the individual events,” she said.
“We didn’t care how many years it took, we just wanted to do them all.”
Cherie and her husband at the finish line of a 777 event. Photo: Supplied.
She said last year she even rocked up to the Perth and Canberra legs.
“The interaction with the other runners and talking about their experiences, and then interacting with the Braveheart staff, I decided I wanted to give this a shot,” she said.
“One in four girls and one in five boys have been abused, and that’s just appalling.
“We really need to understand the myths around sexual abuse, because that’s the first step in breaking the cycle.”
She said if she could help achieve raising the profile of Bravehearts and child sexual abuse through the event, just as presenting at the Royal Commission helped in advocating on behalf of other victims, she would feel an “overwhelming sense of pride”.
Signing up as a national runner to complete half marathons in the event, she initially was hesitant to tell friends due to not deeming herself a fast runner.
“When I did, I was totally blown out of the water by the support they’ve given me,” she said.
“They all started making donations, and 14 of my running friends have planned amongst themselves to cover the events that I’m in, so that somebody will be at every event as support. I just think that’s incredible.”
Further sponsorship came from the law firm that supported her and a Lions Club, allowing her to surpass the initial $11,000 required.
Since a foot injury, she has entered events nationally, developing a walk-run method that mixes the pace to relieve stress on certain sets of muscles.
Bravehearts 777 Marathon starts in Perth on 30 June and will reach Sydney on 4 July.
To help Cherie raise funds, visit her Bravehearts page to donate, or you can register to become a state runner.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Bravehearts Information and Support Line on 1800 272 831 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm).
