Content warning: This article contains discussion of the 2002 Bali bombings.
This year marked the 20 year anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings. This horrific event changed the lives of many Australians forever.
Like many people, both in Australia and around the world, our agency sprang into action to help support the survivors and families of those who had tragically lost their lives.
Our social work team were quickly engaged to provide support. We mobilised 500 staff to help families of victims in Australia, connect with survivors and assist those who travelled to Bali to find their loved ones.
We set up the Bali hotline - a 24-hour phone line to facilitate financial assistance for those impacted. Our social workers supported the staff who were taking very distressing calls and they were there to help people who called with more complex and distressing circumstances.
Over the past 20 years, our social workers have continued to provide their support during significant milestones of the tragedy.
In 2003, a group of our social workers travelled to Bali to support survivors and families through the criminal trials of the terrorists. They also attended the first 4 anniversaries of the attacks, and the 10 year commemoration.
In October 2022, a group of social workers travelled to Bali to commemorate the 20 year anniversary, and another group attended the commemoration service in Canberra. Again, they were there to provide emotional support to the victims and their families, and to pay their respects to those that lost their lives.
Desley Hargreaves, the National Manager of Social Work Services at the time, reflected on the agency’s response and the invaluable role our social workers played. Watch her story.
If you’re going through a difficult time, visit the social work services page for information about available support.