3 Women 3 Ways

Human trafficking is a problem affecting women and girls throughout the world, but it is a woman right here in the United States who shares her experiences, her trauma and, significantly, her recovery.

Siobhan Bennett has been CEO of a national political advancement organization, is the former head of a Washington DC organization working to get women elected to office and is currently chief strategic officer for a legal defense and education nonprofit. That’s her professional background. Her personal background includes having been trafficked, getting out of that experience, and her life-long recovery. She sees her role today as one of educating and giving hope to others

Join us as we look at human trafficking, its prevalence, and its repercussions.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM A POLICE PERSPECTIVE

We hear from lawyers, judges, victims, advocates and even ministers about domestic violence, but how often do we hear from police officers about their understanding of domestic violence, it's perpetrators and victims, and its prosecution?

Lt. Mark Wynn (ret), a former police officer and member of a SWAT team for 15 years, author of police Officer Standards and Training curriculum, and key creator of the largest police domestic violence investigative unit in the US joiins us to talk about the history of police response in the US, how current dissatisfaction with police culture in general may affect domestic violence response, whether changes will impact women of color more negatively, and how US police treatment of domestic violence compares with responses in other countries. Wynn, a Fulbright Specialist for the Department of State and a survivor of DV himself, has spent the last 20 years teaching police forces around the world about handling DV and he has done so with personal experience, sensitivity, enthusiasm and the support of researchers, advocates and founders of the battered women's movement.

ABUSED MOTHERS AND CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES

It is no surprise that children suffer in intimate partner abuse situations. Neither is it a surprise that some of those children are taken into care by child protective services. One group of researchers decided to take a look at the mothers in some of these situations and compare those who had children taken away, either temporarily or permanently, with those who did not. The results were revealing, to say the least.

Leslie M. Tutty, PhD, professor emerita from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary, shares some of the findings from the study that looked at more than 600 women over four years and discovered some commonalities when children were taken away. Dr. Tutty has done extensive research into services for domestic violence, not only for abused women, but also treatment for adult and child victims of sexual abuse, and even groups for men who are perpetrators. She is widely published and has authored and edited textbooks for social workers as well as journal articles.

Join us as we look at abused mothers’ mental health, how they protect their children, and what stands out among those who have had their children taken into care by CPS.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, June 20, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

CYBER VIOLENCE: MANY WAYS, MANY MOTIVES

We have all heard of cyber bullying, but that is just one way trolls, misogynists, criminals and crazies can use the internet to target, harass, threaten, shame and terrorize their unfortunate victims.

Who are the perpetrators and who do they target? What are the negative effects of these assaults? And what are we doing about it?

Emma Louise Backe is a PhD candidate at George Washington University who is doing research into the politics and nature of care and justice for survivors. She has been a rape crisis advocate and community educator, and she is a gender consultant in the international community.

Join us as we discuss the research into cyber violence, the reactions to it, and the impacts on victims and society.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 23, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

VICTIMS’ ADVOCATES: WHO, WHERE AND WHAT?

Relatively unnoticed by the general population during the pandemic news and focus was the April observation of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Among those who paid attention to the event were crime victim advocates, especially Anne Seymour, an advocate for 36 years.

So what does a crime victim advocate do? And when did that become a thing, anyway?

Seymour, who practically invented the job, started by becoming involved at a grass roots level with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, and when she found herself in the White House watching then President Regan as he began the focus on victim’s rights, she decided this was the path she would take. And taken it she has. She Director of the Fairness, Dignity And Respect for Crime Victims and Survivors Project and is the consultant to the Pew Charitable Trusts Public Safety Performance Project. She’s developed training and assistance programs, authored books and studies and even helped develop curricula for training advocates.

Join us as we discuss the concept of victims’ rights, the creation of task forces and agencies to help those affected by crime, the implementation of policy at all levels to see such help is available, and the people who have stepped forward to assist such victims.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 6, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

“SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HER” IS A RED FLAG FOR BRAIN DAMAGE

Those who work with intimate partner violence victims know how frequently strangulation shows up as an issue. What has not been as well known is how often that strangulation results in long-term brain damage.

A recent study by researchers at Ohio State University revealed the prevalence of such brain damage, how often that damage is not recognized, and how frequently the results are interpreted as unrelated mental health issues.

Rachel Ramirez, founder and director of The Center on Partner Inflicted Brain Injury, talks about the study and what it means for providing help for victims of domestic violence. Ramirez co-authored “Trauma-Informed Approaches: Promising Practices and Protocols for Ohio’s Domestic Violence Programs,” as well as several academic journal articles. She is a bilingual licensed independent social worker with graduate degrees and is a registered advocate with senior standing in Ohio.

Join us as we discuss the prevalence and long-term brain damage resulting from domestic violence.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 9, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

A SURVIVOR, A MOTHER, AND A WOMEN’S COALITION

Cindy Dumas and her son Damon went through hell when Damon was court ordered into the custody of his father who was sexually abusing him. After fighting for years, Damon finally was able to gain his emancipation at age 16. But that didn’t end the fight for either Cindy or Damon. They have continued the battle to save kids from bad court decisions. They have created the Women’s Coalition International.

The Coalition educates and lobbies about the conditions for children in US family courts, and is working to enact the Child Custody Act.

Join us as we discuss courts, custody, how we got this way and how a new system needs to provide due process for parents as well as uphold the best interests of children.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 18, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

WHAT’S A SHELTER TO DO? HELPING DURING A HEALTH CRISIS

Everyone is inconvenienced by the restrictions due to the COVID-19 situation but there’s inconvenience and then there’s danger. When abuse is already there, confinement with an abuser escalates all danger and trauma. DC Safe, a Washington, DC service for abuse victims, has had to ratchet up support, create new ways to help and do it all with limited funds and challenged staff.

So how are they, and hundreds of other organizations, helping victims?

Kylie Hogan, Crisis Intervention Team Director, supervises a staff of 11 including response line and on call programming. She also covers the Lethality Assessment Project. Over the last few weeks, she and her staff have had to adapt to new demands, remote counseling, and serving even more people than they were serving before.

Join us as Kylie discusses how she and her 11 staff members are coping, how things have changed, and how they are making it work despite pandemics and cancelled fundraisers.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 11, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

GENDERED VIOLENCE IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC

Intimate partner violence and abuse are bad enough but made so much worse by the world-wide pandemic and the restrictions everyone faces now. What is going on and how are we coping?

Seattle’s Susan Segall, director of New Beginnings, a multi-service organization dedicated to helping survivors, explains what’d different now for victims and survivors, and how her organization is working to help those in need despite viruses and restrictions. Segall has more than 35 years of experience in organizations that focus on gender-based violence, reproductive rights, peace and social justice.

Join us as we talk about the effect of COVID-19 on isolation, custody and court issues, support services and more.

          Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 4, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

UC DENVER’S PROGRAM ON GENDERED VIOLENCE

Once upon a time, a small group of women had a vision about how to change the world to make women safe from domestic violence so they got a grant and they set about convincing a university that such a course of study was worthy and necessary. It wasn’t easy, but they did it. And this year the program that developed from that vision celebrates 20 years and dozens of graduates and developing programs to fit an even broader vision.

Join originator and Director of the Center on Domestic Violence at the School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, Barbara Paradiso, as we talk about the beginnings of the innovative department, it’s progression over two decades, and what lays ahead for the program and its graduates, and its mission to serve victims and survivors of gender-based violence by supporting solid leadership, advancing innovative research, and nurturing community collaboration.

Airing for the first time, Saturday, February 8, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.