SARAH Williams, the founder and CEO of Newcastle-based anti-sexual violence organisation What Were You Wearing? Australia, has been recognised for her advocacy by high-profile fashion publication Marie Claire.
At the Marie Claire Women of the Year 2024 awards last night, Ms Williams was crowned advocate of the year.
The award comes weeks after Ms Williams released a video on social media to apologise to "ex-volunteers who felt hurt during their time" with WWYW.
Allegations about Ms Williams were first raised by the Newcastle Herald in May.
A spokesperson for United Survivors, a social media page operated by ex-volunteers documenting their experiences with the organisation, said seeing Ms Williams not only nominated, but winning an award for her advocacy was "deeply upsetting".
"With so much information and evidence readily available it feels like Marie Claire is more concerned with optics and jumping on the bandwagon," the spokesperson said.
Ex-volunteers of WWYW Australia alleged they had been bullied by Ms Williams and placed at risk of re-traumatisation.
It was also alleged that ex-volunteers were encouraged to forge hundreds of emails for a state government petition demanding mandatory spiking and sexual violence training for security and bar staff.
The Herald's reporting was followed by Channel Nine's A Current Affair and NBN News.
Ms Williams has always denied the allegations and in her video last month she was "truly sorry that they had that experience".
"I'm young and I started this organisation at a very young age, not knowing how big it would become or how quickly it would grow," she said.
Former volunteers responded by saying the apology left critical gaps and "unanswered questions".
In response to the Herald's questions about Ms Williams' award, Marie Claire editor Georgie McCourt said: "It would be difficult to not acknowledge Sarah Williams' profound impact in preventing sexual violence and assault in Australia".
"Sarah is a survivor advocate with a personal history of child sexual abuse, family domestic violence and adult sexual assault. Her courage to speak out and create change is recognised tonight," she said.
"Sarah has herself recognised there has been shortcomings in her leadership. We strive to support women at every step of their journey and trust that as a young founder she will continue to grow and learn."
Other award-winners included actors Celeste Barber and Asher Keddie (joint entertainer of the year), Olympic swimmer Emma McKeon (icon of the year), BMX Olympic gold medallist Saya Sakakibara (champion of the year), and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people commissioner for the ACT, Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts (changemaker of the year).
