Olympia’s family rallies in fresh show of support for TV star
Olympia Valance has been buoyed by a fresh show of support since revealing her photo hacking heartache last week, with the TV star’s family rallying in a powerful public display.
Confidential
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Olympia Valance’s family rallied together on Sunday in a fresh show of support for the TV star after she outed herself as a victim of cyber crime.
The encouraging words, and a joyful picture of Valance and her mother Tania Gogos-Wilson, were a powerful symbol that the Playing For Keeps star will rise above the photo hacking incident she describes as an abusive and criminal act.
“So incredibly proud of this one’s strength and resilience,” Gogos-Wilson posted on social media on Sunday. “Love this creature with all my heart and soul.”
It follows Gogos-Wilson’s comments last week, in which she described Olympia as a “strong Greek goddess warrior.”
TV star Valance took to Instagram to confirm the leaking of private photographs — a battle she’s dealt with for the past year.
“My phone was compromised by a hacking of private images, which were then published online,” she said.
“I have since had to deal with this again recently, when new images were recirculated, retraumatising me and pushing my anxiety into a space it has never been.”
After Valance posted about her ordeal, her mother Tania Gogos-Wilson said on social media: “I am so incredibly proud of my strong Greek goddess warrior daughter.
“This is a shocking crime that has led to many suicides and serious mental health damage. I send my love and strength out to every one of those victims.”
Valance, the partner of Essendon ruckman Tom Bellchambers, said she was shaken by what she called abusive and criminal acts.
“Such offences involve leaking (in my case hacking) images without consent in order to humiliate, degrade, control and blackmail a person,’’ Valance said.
As a victim of this, I have had to fight to try and contain these images from reaching the broader public and for media not to publish stories using my name.”
Her stepmother Kim, who is married to Valance’s father Ryko, also paid tribute to Olympia’s strength.
Kim Valance said: “Reading this makes my eyes fill with tears yet again for the agony it has caused.
“My heart is in my throat. I love you and am infinitely proud of you. This will pass.”
In a lengthy post, Valance said: “Taking intimate photos for yourself, or to share with a partner, is not a shameful thing to do.
“Stealing them and sharing them online without consent is. We should be allowed to embrace our sexuality without fear that someone will take those images and manipulate them for their own gain.”
She continued: “Imagine the level of profound violation if this happened to your daughter, your sister, or to you.
“I am a public figure, but I am also a human being. I am not immune to these scandals. I hurt and I certainly feel pain.”
She thanked her boyfriend, family, friends, lawyers, management and psychologists for their support.
“I have had days where I have been exhausted and where the depths of my sadness have scared both myself and the people I love.
“I want to be at peace. I am tired trying to fight.
“I’m not ashamed. I’m not embarrassed. I will not apologise. I have done nothing wrong,” she said.
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