The event was held in honour of Blue Knot Day for the estimated five million Australians who had been abused as children, Interrelate area manager Anne Heath said.

“It’s up to five million. And they’re just the ones who have come forward,” Ms Heath said.

She said by holding events like the Blue Knot Day afternoon tea, it allowed people to hear the experiences others had been through and know they weren’t alone.

The afternoon tea included a presentation on the day itself, followed by a personal account of abuse, and the lighting of the cupcakes.

A positive affirmation was said by all before the candles were blown out.

Interrelate has helped 322 survivors through their Royal Commission Community Based Support Services last year, Ms Heath said.

“One of these clients told his counsellor that he feels his little boy is healing and he knows that he has become confident to be himself, to make choices because he knows what happened to him wasn’t his fault,” she said.

Ms Heath said Interrelate hoped to help many more people this year.

Blue Knot Day is based on the concept ‘recovery is possible’. The theme for 2016 is ‘together we lead the way to survivor recovery’.