Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for conversations around school shootings, domestic violence, and the cultural perceptions of violence against women.

There is no better way to kick off 2023 than to discuss some of the random current happenings in the media, and, while looking at these happenings, how nonprofit organizations can create an intentional, successful space on social media. Managing engagement can be challenging. It requires you to walk the fine line between creating awareness and solidarity while avoiding triggering and potentially harmful viral trends. There is a need for both blanket education and culture shifts in order for nonprofits to reach the right audience. Samantha and William comment on a range of topics today, from the shocking death of tWitch, the fake celebrity death trend on TikTok, the taboo about men's mental health that has come to the forefront on social media, and how to start trends about difficult but necessary topics. Plus, you will hear about the harm Andrew Tate is causing, how dynamics can come down to power and money, and the importance of holding those around us accountable. Hopefully, we are saying goodbye to some of the trends that we discussed and leaving them in 2022!

If you live in Texas and support full funding for family violence programs, please sign a Purple Postcard.

Should companies be concerned about domestic violence? What role can businesses play in addressing or responding to domestic violence? Can they play a role in violence prevention? To help us answer these questions is our new colleague Gabby Fuentes, the Public Policy Coordinator-Housing at TCFV. Please note this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic violence. In this episode, we discuss domestic violence in the workplace, the responsibility of businesses to victims and the community, and how organizations can help be the solution, with a particular focus on corporate organizations. We discuss why companies should care about domestic violence, appropriate company policies on domestic violence, and how to create a foundation of safety. We also delve into the internal and external mechanisms available to companies regarding domestic violence, the responsibility of organizations to hold perpetrators of violence accountable, the unintended consequences of zero-tolerance policies, and the financial cost for organizations. We explore why there should be more public awareness, reasons companies avoid the issue, and what the domestic violence movement can learn from other social campaigns. Join us as we unpack how companies can help innovate, mobilize, engage, and help create safer communities with Samantha, William, and Gabby!

Trigger warnings: domestic violence, homicide, suicide, firearms

In 2021, Texas experienced its third-highest recorded number of domestic violence fatalities. Today’s guests, Sarah Hilderbrand and Mikisha Hooper, were both instrumental in the production of the 2021 Honoring Texas Victims (HTV) Report which highlights key statistics relating to domestic violence and gives a human face to the victims by providing deep analyses of the cases. A few things become clear during this discussion; Texas is in the midst of a domestic violence epidemic, there is a strong correlation between firearm possession and domestic violence fatalities, and there are a few key strategies that, when implemented correctly, can lead to a drastic reduction in domestic violence homicides. This episode may be hard to listen to at times, but understanding the issue is the first step to solving this complex problem.

You can learn more about HTV by exploring the report below: 

HTV full report

HTV narratives

HTV summary facts (English)

HTV summary facts (Spanish)

Welcome back to Down the Rabbit Hole, our first episode of season three! Today, we will be talking to the prevention team about potentially triggering topics surrounding prevention and behavioral changes. We discuss how behavioral change could be possible, why challenging belief systems is a nuanced task, why adults also need prevention education, and the false separation between prevention and intervention services. Evidence-based curriculums are difficult to debate due to their very nature, but we conclude that they still need to evolve to become more inclusive of the people they neglect to represent. You’ll learn why victim blaming is a slippery slope, why prevention needs to be prevalent at all levels of an organization, how those outside the scope can be useful allies, and why there is a need to critically assess the misrepresentations that are endemic to mainstream media. To hear all about our fears and phobias and to understand why prevention education is so important, tune in now! Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic violence.

We are excited to announce that Season 3 is coming this month! October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and is the perfect time for a season 3 launch. Season 3 will bring some changes... fewer episodes, longer episodes, and new voices, but as always we will be having some great conversations. We celebrate you coming back for a third season of DTRH, and if this is your first we hope you enjoy it. We wish everyone a safe DVAM. Welcome to the Movement!

Welcome to the final episode of Down The Rabbit Hole Season 2! Today, Sarah and Victoria join Samantha and William in a battle royale of MSWs and MPHs (Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health)! In all seriousness, in this episode we explore the differences and similarities in the ways the public health and social work fields approach advocacy and violence prevention. Tuning in you’ll hear about our failures during our studies, the paths we took following receiving our Master’s degrees, how to become a licensed social public health worker, and how you can tailor your own journey. We also delve into working before receiving your degree, the benefits of doing so, the dangers of lack of community-based research, the different types of research used, and why the collaboration of the entire system is imperative to end violence. Finally, we share some tips for anyone looking to get their MPH or MSW. To hear all this and more, press play now!

Firearms are a big topic of conversation right now in the country, particularly in Texas, and so, in today’s episode, we take a deep dive into their impact on domestic violence survivors and their communities. Joined by Mikisha Hooper and Mohini Lal, we discuss the Honoring Texas Victims Report and what it tells us about firearms and their role in domestic violence. We talk about firearm prohibitions and transfer protocols that are already in place, pitfalls related to the enforcement of these, why it’s so easy for prohibited possessors to legally buy firearms, the problem of accountability when it comes to the sellers, and how the current system puts first responders at risk. We also share our views on the need for community understanding of domestic violence and social support for victims. We discuss how to move from an approach of response or intervention to one of prevention and share some additional resources on the intersection of firearms and domestic violence. To hear more about some of the preventative measures, strategies, and tactics that we can use to address this serious issue, tune in today!

Please note that this episode carries a heavy trigger warning for domestic violence as well as firearms with references to mass shootings.

LGBTQ+ inclusive services and policies are essential to help people understand members of the LGBTQ+ community, increase the safety and security of LGBTQ+ people, and ultimately create a more inclusive world. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning as we discuss some sensitive topics such as suicide due to lack of acceptance of gender identity and sexual orientation. Today on Down The Rabbit Hole, we are joined by Leslie McMurray. Leslie, among many things, is the Transgender Education and Advocacy Associate at Resource Center--the largest LGBTQ+ service organization in Texas. Tuning in this pride month you will hear about the policies Leslie uses to help businesses become more LGBTQ+ inclusive, the importance of accepting people for who they are, as well as why empathy and compassion is essential. We also discuss why there is no ‘right time’ to come out and the importance of having support systems for people of all ages discovering their gender identity and sexuality. Finally, we delve into gender care for children and how it is handled. Join us to do your part in filling the world with love and pride!

The events of the Uvalde school shooting shocked not only America but also the world. The rise in mass shootings in America in recent years is a great cause for concern and reaching solutions will require difficult discussions to be had. In today’s show, the TCFV Prevention Team takes the time to reflect on the recent events in Uvalde and some of the wide-ranging impacts. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning, as we cover topics related to trauma, mass shootings, and other difficult topics. Listener discretion is advised. We discuss how people are feeling after the recent tragic events, why some people feel guilty, and why the proposed solutions will not work, as well as the role of privilege in accessing mental health support, how mass shootings are an intersection of other larger societal problems, and some of the current challenges facing the Uvalde community. We also talk about the stigma that surrounds mental health and why holistic solutions and broader cultural and policy shifts are needed, plus we share some helpful resources for people who need support, as well as how you can help the Uvalde community. Make sure to tune in today for this important conversation.

Welcome back to Down the Rabbit Hole! During today’s episode, we talk about something we have never talked about - DVHRTs, or Domestic Violence High-Risk Teams. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic violence and related topics. Today’s guest is our colleague, Dr. David Scott. Join us to hear how he came to train officers on Domestic Violence High-Risk Teams before becoming a policy coordinator. We discuss what a DVHRT is and why leaving domestic violence incidents to the police to manage is insufficient. Dr. Scott shares the goal of DVHRTs - which is to take the guesswork out of domestic violence cases - and reveals how he goes about matching teams to specific cases. We touch on funding, community resources, and dive into some meaningful statistics as well as how these statistics show us the importance of DVHRTs. TW: For listeners who wish to avoid detailed statistics around domestic violence, please skip audio between [00:40:38] and [00:41:51].