EDITOR’S LETTER
As this year limps towards the finishing line, I can hear a collective cheer ricocheting around the world. Safe to say, most of us will be stoked to wave “adios” to 2020 after months of disruption and disaster. Some saw their homes razed in the bushfires, others lost loved ones to COVID, and millions joined the unemployment line as the global recession tightened its grip.
While it’s easy to dwell on the doom and gloom, 2020 has also been the year the world woke up. We saw firsthand how nature can swiftly rejuvenate when we stop bombarding it with pollution; how people power can provoke change with the explosion of the Black Lives Matter movement; and how jumping off life’s ever-spinning hamster wheel can actually aid our wellbeing. We also witnessed moments of courage and kindness when we needed it most. All of us on marie claire are in awe of the medicos on the frontline, the leaders making tough decisions, and the many other game-changers who’ve defined 2020. Which is why we’ve decided to honour the incredible Australians making a difference in these extraordinary times in our “Women of the Year” portfolio (starting on page 52). There are a few surprises on our list (please message us with your thoughts), but for me, the most worthy inclusion is mum-of-three Hannah Clarke, who died after her estranged husband set her and their kids alight on a sleepy suburban street. What most people don’t realise is that Hannah, who suffered burns to 97 per cent of her body, battled death in order to give police a clear account of the events leading up to that shocking incident. Says Hannah’s devoted mum, Sue Clarke: “It was truly to make him pay, to fight for her babies to the end. She pushed herself and the police were in awe.”
As a result of her courage, the term “coercive control” has been thrust into the spotlight. We now know that domestic violence is much more than a physical act; it’s a relentless catalogue of psychological abuse. Yet alarmingly, coercive control isn’t a crime in Australia, but that needs to change, stat. marie claire and our parent company, Are Media, have joined forces with Sue and Lloyd Clarke’s foundation, Small Steps 4 Hannah, along with a raft of reputable DV groups, to lobby the government to criminalise coercive control. The day after our official campaign launch on October 12, the NSW Government announced a parliamentary inquiry into the creation of a new coercive control offence.
It’s quite literally a “small step for Hannah”, but there’s still much to be done. Please join our ongoing fight and sign the petition at coercivecontrol.com.au.
On a much lighter note, our fashion and beauty teams have been working hard to ready you for the silly season by delivering more than 50 pages of party dresses, celebratory bling, makeup and hair how-tos and, lastly, our biggest-ever Gift Guide (on page 149). Christmas in COVID will be more pared-back than previous years, but don’t let that dampen your desire to dress up – hey, you’ve earned it!