Tame was a dual-scholarship holder at St Michael's Collegiate girls' school in Hobart, and had been diagnosed with anorexia in Year 10.
[1] In 2017, social commentator Bettina Arndt conducted an interview with Tame's abuser[13][14] claiming "sexually provocative behaviour from female students".
Tame criticised Arndt for supporting her abuser, accusing her of "trivialising" and "laughing off" his crime,[15] saying, "Not only is the interview disturbing because it gives a platform to a paedophile.
[18][13][14] He was subsequently jailed again for the production of child exploitation material, after describing online how he sexually abused Tame.
[3][22] Tame's case led to journalist and sexual assault survivor advocate Nina Funnell working alongside Tame to create a campaign called #LetHerSpeak, in partnership with Marque Lawyers and End Rape on Campus Australia,[23] seeking to overturn this law and a similar law in the Northern Territory.
[3] The campaign attracted global support from celebrities including Alyssa Milano, Tara Moss and John Cleese, and from leaders of the MeToo movement.
[25] In October 2019, in response to the #LetHerSpeak campaign led by Funnell and featuring Tame, Attorney-General of Tasmania Elise Archer announced that legislation would be amended to allow sexual assault survivors to publicly speak out.
[27] Tame has become an advocate for others, focusing on helping them understand grooming and psychological manipulation and breaking down the stigma associated with sexual assault.
[28] Tame wants to eradicate victim blaming and normalise speaking out, and says greater consistency is needed between federal and state laws.
In her talk, Tame revealed that a "senior member" of a government-funded organisation had phoned her and, she felt, in a threatening way, asked her not to criticise the Prime Minister in her outgoing Australian of the Year speech, in the light of the forthcoming election.
[27] The panel said, "Grace has demonstrated extraordinary courage, using her voice to push for legal reform and raise public awareness about the impacts of sexual violence".
[39] In 2021, Tame was named as one of Time magazine's Next Generation Leaders,[40] and by the Australian Financial Review as one of the "10 most culturally powerful people in Australia in 2021".
Neilson was inspired by Tame's passion, strength, and bravery in playing an instrumental role in changing Tasmania's gag law.
[49][43] Tame is a visual artist, and her clientèle has included actor John Cleese, and musician Martin Gore.
[52] She has a younger brother, Oscar, whom she calls her "little hero", saying, "He came into the world right when the abuse started, and pardon the pun, but he was a literal saving grace".