FROM SILENCE TO SONG

British East Asian Women on Sexual Harm, Faith & Reclaiming Voice

An afternoon of courageous conversation, reflection and collective care

Saturday 19 September 2026

2:45pm–4:15pm (Doors open 2:30pm)

Waldegrave Hall, London

*This event centres British East and Southeast Asian women’s experiences, but it is open to people of all genders, ethnicities, backgrounds and identities.

You do not need to identify as East or Southeast Asian, or as a woman, to attend. We ask all attendees to come with respect, care and openness to the sensitive themes being shared.

Some experiences change the course of a life.

For many survivors of sexual harm and assault, the deepest wound is not always what happened.

It is what happened afterwards.

Not being believed. Being blamed. Being told to keep quiet. Watching institutions protect themselves instead of people. Feeling alone with a story too painful or costly to tell.

From Silence to Song is an invitation to break that silence together.

Hosted by Ellen Yun and joined by her guest Rowena Chiu, both British East Asian women, this carefully held afternoon creates space for an honest conversation about sexual assault, harm, faith, advocacy and the journey of reclaiming voice.

Through conversation, reflection and song, we will explore what has shaped our understanding of harm, truth-telling and healing, what it can cost to speak within families, churches and wider society, and how communities can become places where people are met with dignity rather than silence.

This is an event about courage.

• Not simply the courage to survive.
• But the courage to speak.
• To listen.
• To believe.
• And to build communities where no one has to carry the burden of harm alone.

East and South East Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month 2026

Evolving Threads

As part of ESEA Heritage Month 2026, this event responds to this year's theme, Evolving Threads, by reflecting on the inherited and changing forces that shape British East and Southeast Asian women's lives.

• Family.
• Culture.
• Migration.
• Faith.
• Silence.
• Survival.
• Solidarity.

Our voices are never formed in isolation. They are woven through generations, relationships, expectations and communities. They are shaped by what has been passed down, what has been endured, what has been protected and what is only now beginning to be named.

In the spirit of Evolving Threads, this event recognises that healing and truth-telling are not simply individual acts. They are part of the ongoing work of creating more honest, compassionate and just communities.

While this event intentionally centres British ESEA women's experiences, it is open to all survivors, allies, leaders and those in positions of responsibility who want to listen well, learn, and help create cultures where harm is no longer hidden.

Meet the Speakers

Rowena Chiu

Rowena Chiu is a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein. In 1998, she was sexually assaulted by him at the Venice Film Festival, and was coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which silenced her for over twenty years.

In 2017, a New York Times journalist came to her home and doorstepped her husband of over a decade, revealing information about the assault and NDA. Rowena was featured in the subsequent NYT investigation, but she insisted on remaining anonymous.

In 2019, she finally broke her story on the NBC Today Show, live in front of three million viewers. Rowena's story has featured in both the book and the movie, SHE SAID.

She has given over 700 media interviews across four continents, for international news outlets such as: ABC, BBC, CBS, and NBC. She has testified at the House Of Commons, the Massachusetts State House, and the State Of The Union.

She is writing a memoir, a novel, and a screenplay, in addition to working as a global #MeToo activist, advocating for the rights of those who are oppressed or voiceless, in churches, schools, universities and workplaces around the world.

Ellen Yun

Ellen Yun is a British Chinese psychotherapist with nearly 20 years’ experience. She is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO) trained psychotherapist, supervisor, speaker and writer.

Her work is shaped by both professional expertise and lived experience as a survivor of sexual assault, spiritual abuse and complex trauma. Her own continuing journey of healing informs the compassion, honesty and humility she brings to her work.

Ellen specialises in complex and developmental trauma, including parental abuse and neglect, betrayal trauma, racial trauma, religious and spiritual abuse, institutional harm, grief and loss. She has a particular interest in attachment, intergenerational experiences, migration and the ways identity, faith, culture and ethnicity shape who we become.

She offers an intentional space for courageous and necessary conversations, supporting people to turn towards the stories and parts of themselves that may have been hidden, silenced or pushed aside. Through spacious compassion, curiosity and courage, she helps people move beyond survival towards greater freedom, authenticity and Self-leadership.

Ellen describes herself as a journeyer, an authenticity dweller and a sacred story beholder. Her work is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive and anti-racist, with an ongoing commitment to decolonising therapeutic and Christian spaces and creating places where difficult stories can be held with dignity, honesty and hope.

Ellen's Counselling Directory Profile

Between Sessions | A Liminal Space for Therapists Podcast

Ellen's Instagram Page | @voiceafterharm

Questions We'll Explore

Together we'll reflect on questions such as:

• Why is speaking about harm so difficult?
• What makes people stay silent?
• What happens when someone finally tells their story?
• How do culture, faith and family shape our understanding of harm?
• How can we respond without blaming, fixing or minimising?
• What does genuine accountability look like?
• What does it mean to reclaim your voice?
• How do we create communities where truth is welcomed rather than feared?
• How can we move from silence towards hope?

These are not questions with simple answers.

They are invitations to deeper conversation.

Who This Event Is For

From Silence to Song centres the voices and lived experiences of British East and Southeast Asian women, particularly around sexual assault, harm, faith, culture, silence and reclaiming voice.

The event is open to anyone aged 18 and over who wants to listen, learn, reflect and engage thoughtfully with the realities of harm, courage, survival, speaking out and collective care.

You might be a survivor, a friend, partner or family member wanting to respond well, a church or charity leader, a therapist, counsellor or pastoral worker, someone working in safeguarding, education, healthcare or the voluntary sector, or someone interested in justice, advocacy and creating healthier communities.

You do not need to identify as East or Southeast Asian, as a woman, or as Christian to attend. We simply ask all attendees to come with respect, tenderness and care for the stories and experiences being shared.

What To Expect

This afternoon is a carefully curated afternoon designed to hold difficult conversations with care.

The afternoon will include:

• A live conversation between Ellen and Rowena
• Reflections on harm, faith, advocacy and reclaiming voice
• An exploration of how individuals, churches and institutions respond when harm is disclosed
• Opportunities for audience questions
• Music
• Refreshments after the event
• Opportunities to connect with others in an informal setting

There is no expectation that anyone shares their own experiences.

You are welcome simply to come and listen.

Collective Care

The heart of this event is collective care.

Healing from harm is not something anyone should have to do alone. Communities become healthier when people contribute in the ways they are able.

• Some give their expertise.
• Some volunteer their time.
• Some create spaces where difficult conversations can happen safely.
• Some support others through generosity.
• Some simply show up, listen well and refuse to look away.
• Every act of care matters.

This event is an invitation to practise that together.

Ways to Take Part

Attending the Event

We have intentionally designed our tickets to reflect this spirit of collective care.

Community Supported Ticket | £10

A limited number of lower-cost tickets are available for those who may otherwise find attending financially difficult.

General Admission | £20

Our standard ticket helps cover the cost of delivering the event.

Collective Care Ticket | £30

For those who are able to contribute a little more.

Choosing this ticket helps make Community Supported Tickets possible and enables gatherings like this to remain as accessible as we can make them.

Becoming an Event Supporter (no admission)

Event Support Contribution | £5/£10/£20/£50

This is not an admission ticket.

Can't attend? You can still be part of making this event possible. Your contribution helps cover the costs of creating From Silence to Song.

Once event costs have been met, this option may be withdrawn.

No event ticket is issued with this contribution.

Event Support Contribution - Click Here

Supporting Tamar

The heart of this event is collective care.

Healing from harm is not something anyone should have to do alone. Communities become healthier when people contribute in the ways they are able: by showing up, listening carefully, giving time, sharing expertise, making space for survivors or offering financial support where they can.

We are delighted that Tamar, a ministry of All Souls Serve the City supporting people affected by by sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking will be with us on the day to briefly share about their work. 

www.tamarwestminster.org

*This event is being organised independently by Ellen and is not being run by Tamar or in formal partnership with Tamar. Ticket income is for attendance at the event and to help cover event costs.

Your ticket is for admission to the event only and does not include a donation to Tamar.

If you would like to support Tamar’s work, you are warmly invited to donate directly to Tamar through their own donation channels or on the day. Any donation is entirely optional and separate from your event ticket.

Practical Information

Date: Saturday 19 September 2026

Venue: Waldegrave Hall, All Souls Church Langham Place, All Souls Place, London, W1B 3DA (Back entrance of the church)

Doors open: 2:30pm

Event: 2:45pm–4:15pm

Accessibility: Disabled access, lift available

Refreshments: Following the event

Age: 18+

Refund Policy

We understand that plans can change.

Refund requests for admission tickets may be made up to 14 days before the event, by Saturday 5 September 2026.

After this date, tickets are non-refundable because event costs will already have been committed. However, you are welcome to transfer your ticket to someone else if you are no longer able to attend. Please contact the organiser with the new attendee’s name and email address so the booking can be updated.

If the event is cancelled by the organiser, admission tickets will be refunded. If the event is rescheduled or materially changed, ticket holders will be contacted and given information about the available options.

Community Supported Tickets, General Admission Tickets and Collective Care Tickets are all treated as admission tickets under this refund policy.

Event Support Contributions are not admission tickets and do not reserve a place at the event. These contributions are intended to help cover the practical costs of running the event and are non-refundable, except where a contribution has been made in error or duplicated. If the event is cancelled, the organiser may review Event Support Contributions separately.

Booking fees or payment processing fees may not always be refundable.

Before you book

Please read the following information before purchasing a ticket.

This event centres conversations about sexual assault, sexual harm, trauma, faith, silence, institutional responses, recovery and reclaiming voice. Some people may find these themes emotionally activating.

You are welcome to:

• step outside at any time
• take breaks whenever you need
• choose not to participate in audience questions
• engage in whatever way feels safest for you
• There is no expectation to disclose your own story.

Looking after yourself is always encouraged.

This event is a public conversation and reflective event. It is not therapy, counselling, crisis support, legal advice or a substitute for professional mental health support, and attending does not create a therapist–client relationship with Ellen, Rowena or any member of the event team.

A wellbeing team will be available throughout the afternoon to offer listening, grounding and signposting. They will not provide therapy, counselling, safeguarding investigations, legal advice or crisis intervention.

Please consider whether this feels like the right event for you at this time and ensure you have any support you may need outside the event.

We ask everyone attending to respect the dignity and privacy of others. Please do not share identifying details of another person's experiences without their permission.

Where there is a concern that someone may be at risk of serious harm, abuse or exploitation, the Event Safeguarding Lead may need to share information with appropriate statutory or emergency service.