Grace Tame wishes Brittany Higgins a happy birthday

Grace Tame has wished a happy birthday to Brittany Higgins and shared a gushing tribute to the “warrior” woman.

Ms Tame, a sexual assault survivor, shared an image of her and Ms Higgins getting ready for a photoshoot and interview with Marie Claire magazine.

The pair were pictured on the front cover of the magazine’s “Women of the Year” issue in November 2021.

In the photo, the pair looked relaxed and are smiling towards the camera.

But Ms Tame wrote in her message to Ms Higgins that the picture was “nothing like the reality of that day”.

“It was anxiety, distress, exhaustion, invasion of personal space, and a quarter of an hour spent in the bathroom decompressing afterwards at dinner. It was tears.”

In her moving tribute to Ms Higgins, Ms Tame said her friend was a “warrior” and “a national hero”.

“Over the past 18 months of getting to know Brittany Higgins, I have been moved by a person who is thoughtful and measured, who is reserved and self-effacing.

“I have been awed and floored by her intelligence, kindness, vulnerability and determination to keep fighting for herself and others.

“She has provided support, comfort and reinforcement for myself and others amid some of the darkest, loneliest times. She is indeed a light.”

Ms Tame also praised Ms Higgins for her response to national scrutiny.

“rittany Higgins has taken every step of her excruciating journey under a microscope; with a nation breathing down her neck. This is no mean feat.

“I am not a judge or jury, but I am a person who has also walked repeatedly in the line of fire – often alone – and it is not for the faint-hearted.

“However, it is not for this reason that I stand with Brittany. It is simply because she is a decent human being. I stand with Brittany because I have compassion for her.

“Brittany Higgins is a national hero.”

Ms Higgins spent her 28th birthday on Wednesday in a mental health clinic in Queensland.

She took to Twitter on her birthday to declare she is willing to take the witness stand in any defamation action after former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann hired a leading lawyer to fight media outlets for damages.

After prosecutors dropped a single charge of sex without consent on Friday, Mr Lehrmann, who has always maintained his innocence, flew to Sydney to hold talks with defamation lawyers.

He has hired Mark O’Brien, one of Australia’s most feared defamation experts, to examine the prospects of legal action against multiple media outlets including Channel 10’s The Project.

No concerns notices have been sent to date, as lawyers examine a large volume of media reports and public speeches over the last two years.

“Mark O’Brien Legal is acting on behalf of Bruce Lehrmann in relation to potential defamation proceedings over a number of public statements, broadcasts, articles and social media posts concerning the recently discontinued criminal proceedings against him,’’ the law firm said in a statement.

The media hit list includes the ABC over a decision to broadcast Ms Higgins and Ms Tame’s appeareance at the press club.

The trial against Mr Lehrmann was discontinued last week based on her mental health.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7y6Kdnqukrrmme8eemKWsmGS6prrTmqNmoJWWubW0jqCpmpuVYsGiucRmrqKrmJrAbq7RoqutmZ6ueqm1xqCgp6tdlnqprc%2BpsGaamafBqbDAsmSappRiv6bCxJqjrGWkp8K1tIybnKGhnpl6sbTOraZoppWswG6%2F06ipsmeWa4B0gpCfamptaGd9poXEnm5wm5Rpf6SBmHBvap5hZg%3D%3D