The Maternity Consumer Network's
Living Archive of Birth Trauma

Join our project

As part of the Respectful Maternity Care Conference, we are proud to launch the Maternity Consumer Network's Living Archive of Birth Trauma. We invite women across Australia to share their stories and experiences of birth trauma, with selected testimonies to be featured at the conference and then made publicly accessible. This archive will serve as a powerful tool to raise ongoing awareness of birth trauma as a critical public health issue, while supporting our campaigns for respectful maternity care. It will also educate clinicians, researchers, leaders, and policymakers on the urgent need to ensure every woman receives high-quality, respectful maternity care.

Make your submission here

We are now calling for submissions in diverse formats: written accounts, videos sharing your story (with options to show your full face or only part of it, such as your mouth while speaking), diary entries, artwork, music, or any creative expression that captures your experience of birth trauma and/or disrespectful care within the Australian maternity system. Your submission will help us raise awareness and work to prevent birth trauma for future generations.

Media Usage Consent Form for Maternity Consumer Network (MCN) Living Archive of Birth Trauma

Form Purpose: This form grants consent for the use of your submitted story, experience, or media (e.g., written accounts, videos, artwork, music) in MCN's activities, including the Living Archive of Birth Trauma. By completing this form, you agree to allow MCN to use your submission for advocacy, educational purposes, raising awareness, campaigns for respectful maternity care, and related materials. Your submission will help empower women, educate clinicians, researchers, leaders, and policymakers, and drive change in Australia's maternity system. All submissions are handled with respect and sensitivity.

First name

Last name

Preferred Display Name (if different, or for anonymity)

What type of media are you submitting? (e.g. Written account - story or diary entry, Video (full face visible, Video -partial face, e.g., mouth only, Artwork, Music, Other)

Please provide a short summary of your story or media (e.g., 'My experience of birth trauma at [hospital] in 2023')

Consent for Usage

I consent to the following uses of my submission by MCN:

Display at the Respectful Maternity Care Conference (including selected testimonies shared during the event).

Inclusion in the publicly accessible Living Archive of Birth Trauma to raise awareness of birth trauma as a public health issue.

Use in advocacy campaigns for respectful maternity care in Australia.

Incorporation into educational tools and materials for clinicians, researchers, leaders, and policymakers.

Sharing in MCN's promotional or awareness-raising activities (e.g., website, social media, reports), with appropriate attribution or anonymity as specified above.

Any other MCN activities aligned with promoting women's rights and improving maternity care.

Add your text

Rights and Ownership Acknowledgment

I am the original creator and owner of the submitted media, or I have the legal right to share it. I grant MCN a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and distribute it as described above.

I am the original creator and owner of the submitted media, or I have the legal right to share it.

I understand that once submitted, the material may be publicly accessible and cannot be fully retracted.

I understand that once submitted, the material may be publicly accessible and cannot be fully retracted

Please send your submission to management@maternityconsumernetwork.org.au

Use the title: Living Archive of Birth Trauma (your name)

The Maternity Consumer Network's Living Archive of Birth Trauma