On 18 September 2021, at an online meeting, Dr Patricia Mayne spoke to Sydney MOW members on
the history of TAMAR (1996-2008) and its work in the Diocese of Sydney, combating sexual abuse in
the Australian Anglican Church.
The name TAMAR, short for Towards a More Appropriate Response, was adopted by a small group
of Sydney Anglican women, many of whom belonged to the sexually abused community. They were
alluding to the biblical narrative in 2 Samuel 13: 1-22, where the young girl, Tamar, was told to
remain silent about her rape.
These women were trailblazers in forcing the conservative diocesan hierarchy to acknowledge abuse
in their parishes.
Dr Mayne drew on her PhD thesis (2016), A history of TAMAR (1996-2008) in relation to the Anglican
Church of Australia in general and the Diocese of Sydney in particular, in relation to sexual abuse.
The whole thesis can be read on line at https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/85341/a-history-
of-tamar-1996-2008-in-relation-to-the-anglican-church-of-australia-in-general-and-the-diocese-of-
sydney-in-particular-tamar-towards-a-more-appropriate-response-was-formed-by-a-group-of
The address was given in the context of the April 2021 release of the National Anglican Family
Violence Research Report (https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NAFVP-Top-Line-
Results-Report-NCLS-Research.pdf).
A pdf of Dr Mayne’s talk can be downloaded below.
Elaine Lindsay
A Potted History of TAMAR and the Diocese of Sydney in Relation to Sexual Abuse