Hannah Clarke’s grieving family have been caught in the crossfire of Facebook’s war on Australian news after their tribute page was shut down on the social media platform.
Some of Australia’s most important services have been gagged after the Australian government proposed legislation which would require services like Facebook and Google to pay for news.
Rather than lock in deals with Australian outlets like Google has, nine million daily Australian Facebook users instead woke on Thursday to find their access to news on the app had been revoked.
Facebook also shut down services beyond official media organisations, including the page dedicated to Lloyd and Sue Clarke’s Small Steps 4 Hannah foundation.
The Facebook page set up for the Small Steps 4 Hannah page was impacted when Facebook restricted access to news websites
Hannah Clarke’s grieving family have been caught in the crossfires of Facebook’s war on Australian news after their tribute page was shut down on the social media platform. Pictured: Hannah with her son, Trey, who was particularly affectionate and a ‘mummy’s boy’
The foundation was established after 31-year-old Hannah was doused in petrol and set alight alongside her three children by her possessive estranged husband, Rowan Baxter, a year ago on Friday.
Six-year-old Aaliyah, her four-year-old sister Laianah and three-year-old brother Trey all died at the scene.
Hannah bravely detailed the attack to police twice before succumbing to burns covering 97 per cent of her body.
As bystanders tried to rescue Hannah and her three babies, Baxter brandished a knife and told witnesses to ‘let her burn’ before fatally stabbing himself.
Friday will mark the one year anniversary of the brutal attack, and Mr and Mrs Clarke had planned to use their Facebook platform to communicate with followers on the page.
Hannah Clarke is pictured with her two daughters Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four
Hannah’s parents Lloyd and Sue are pictured with two of their grandchildren. The grieving couple are speaking out as a reminder that domestic violence can happen in any postcode and any class
It is not clear when – if at all – their access to the page will be reinstated.
Small Steps 4 Hannah is not affiliated with any media organisations, and instead hoped to raise awareness about the detrimental impact of coercive control in the community.
The couple hoped to shine a light on the topic after learning Hannah was herself a victim of coercive control within her relationship, yet didn’t know what signs to look out for.
Queensland took the first step towards criminalising coercive control by abusive partners just 24 hours ago.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Wednesday she had established a task force to consult with survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence to better understand the needs of victims.
The task force will report back to the government with its findings in October, when Ms Palaszczuk hopes to pass laws to criminalise the behaviour.
And while Mr and Mrs Clarke are thrilled with the outcome, their limited access to the page has put a dampener on their spirits.
‘It’s very upsetting,’ Mrs Clarke said of the Facebook censorship. ‘We were wanting to announce one of our new ambassadors. It’s very, very disappointing.’
Prior to her death, Hannah separated from Baxter and learned she was a victim of coercive control.
Coercive control is categorised as an insidious form of family violence which slowly restricts victims and strips them of their power within a relationship.
In Hannah’s relationship, Baxter dictated what she could and couldn’t wear, would go through her phone and limited the time she could spend with friends and family.
Offenders also often seize control of their victim’s finances, though this wasn’t the case with Hannah because Baxter was not smart enough to handle the money.
‘Coercive control, like other forms of domestic and family violence, needs to be everybody’s business,’ Ms Palaszczuk said in a statement.
‘We’ve seen legislation against coercive control in places like the UK, and it’s important that we too have legislation in place to better protect victims.’
While Lloyd and Sue Clarke can’t access the Facebook page, they previously revealed how they would honour Hannah and their grandchildren on the anniversary of their deaths this Friday.
The Clarke’s will light a candle to represent Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey on Friday afternoon, and have encouraged the public to do the same
Lloyd and Sue have created the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to ensure other women know the less obvious warning signs of domestic violence
The Clarke’s will light a candle to represent Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey on Friday afternoon, and have encouraged the public to do the same.
The purpose of lighting candles is to remember the late family as ‘bright, happy people who brought light to everyone they met,’ Mrs Clarke explained.
Her husband said the ‘light’ will come after ‘our family and friends have been through some pretty dark times in the last 12 months’.
‘As the sun goes down we invite you to light a candle for them and for all victims of domestic and family violence,’ Mr Clarke said.
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Mrs Clarke also encouraged religious people to pray for a ‘lighter and happier world’ and to help ‘keep the flame burning until there is no more darkness’.
This Friday, Lloyd and Sue Clarke will light a candle to represent each of the lives lost on February 19, 2020
