Research on domestic violence includes decades of collected data that offer more than just statistics about abuse. Included in this collective information are the documented motivations of abusers, knowledge about the dynamics of intimate partner violence, and so much more. We investigate this compendium of information through the lens of a personal story revealing what could have been done to prevent a triple homicide if investigators and others had consulted the related research. Margaret Bassett, LPC-S, Director Applied Research & Innovative Instruction, at the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA), The University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work joins the show to talk about this research, the “science” as she calls it, and how it can inform and influence our approaches to investigating allegations of abuse, increase abuser accountability, attain better outcomes for victims and improve prosecution rates of these offenders. Bassett walks us through the experience of the Broderick family - a family torn apart by child sexual abuse and homicide allegedly at the hands of Stephen Broderick. The Broderick family’s story along with Bassett’s op-ed, “To Stop Domestic Violence, We Need to Listen to Science About Abusers,” are the backdrop for our conversation and offer context for abuser behavior, pitfalls to preventing domestic violence and the need for a coordinated community response to domestic violence. This episode discusses child abuse, homicide, strangulation, and domestic violence. 

Established in 1897, Jewish Women International (JWI) has evolved over its 125-year history into a global leader for women’s empowerment. The organization’s 2021 National Needs Assessment of Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community revealed that Jewish communities in the United States are substantially lacking in safe shelter, legal services, acknowledgement, support, and more. On par with the national average of women experiencing domestic violence, 1-in-4 Jewish women report abuse in the home. Additional research suggests that 70% of Jewish survivors of domestic violence indicate that abusers use Jewish holidays, laws, and customs to reinforce abusive behaviors, and 81% of domestic violence support providers state that withholding “a get” (Jewish document of divorce) is a common tactic of abusers. These unique experiences rooted in Jewish culture, faith and customs require culturally-sensitive responses that not only meet the needs of Jewish survivors but also build a culture of respect and consent. In response to these findings, JWI has launched the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community offering initiatives that drive concrete long-term solutions that address domestic violence in the Jewish community and provide a hub for trauma-informed training, education, resources, peer support, research, policy development, and community collaboration. We explore this ambitious program with Ariella Neckritz, JWI’s Director of Violence Prevention and Training, who leads the organization’s trauma-informed culturally competent prevention programming and community training initiatives. JWI offers information and programs for all women and girls of every race, culture, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

The Genesis Annual Luncheon is April 14, 2022 in Dallas, Texas! Tickets, sponsorships, tables and raffle tickets are going quickly but there is still time to get yours and support the critical mission of Genesis Women's Shelter & Support providing safety, shelter and support for women who have experienced domestic violence, and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. This year's celebrity guest is multiple Grammy Award-winning Singer, Songwriter and Humanitarian Michael Bolton. You do not want to miss this incredible event! Listen for all the luncheon details and reserve your seat today!

Now in its 17th year, the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) will take place May 23-26, 2022 in Dallas Texas. The first conference of its kind, CCAW is focused on practical solutions that successfully resolve crimes of gender-based violence and is the ideal education and training opportunity for prosecutors, advocates and law enforcement. This year's event will feature 200-plus sessions in just a little over 3 days of workshops, case studies, computer labs, an interactive crime scene and so much more. Listeners of this episode will hear directly from conference founder Jan Langbein and conference director Becky Park, and receive a bonus discount code for registration to the 2022 conference.

Approximately 6 million people in the U.S. experience stalking each year with the largest majority of victims being women between the ages of 18-24. Stalking is characterized by a pattern of behavior or unwanted attention that causes victims to feel fear or mental anguish and is a crime in all 50 states and every jurisdiction in America. We take a deep dive on this subject with attorney Elaina Roberts. Ms. Roberts is the Technology Safety Legal Manager with National Network to End Domestic Violence Safety Net Project who has expertise in stalking and related laws and legislation. Together we explore what stalking is, who it affects, laws that protect victims, and numerous resources that offer support. This episode is supplemented with additional information in a blog post of the same title available on GenesisShelter.org and an episode about stalking on the Podcast on Crimes Against Women. 

If you’ve ever attempted to buy a car or make any large purchase that requires financing you have likely worked through the challenging process of getting a loan at a rate and price you can afford. Now imagine that process for a woman who left an abusive relationship and is starting over in every way, especially financially. Or for a person who has difficulty keeping a job due to lack of reliable transportation. For these unique scenarios and many others, On The Road Lending offers character-based lending - a personal approach that goes beyond the credit score to include a trauma-informed lending process focused on client abilities, needs and capacity for financing a vehicle. Using financial details plus the personal stories that expand the financial picture of applicants, On The Road Lending matches clients with auto lending opportunities, educates on the lending process, partners with auto dealers to find vehicles that meet client needs and budgets, and puts people back on the road to financial recovery. Kristin Petricola from On The Road Lending explains the process of securing auto financing for people who have survived domestic violence and other trauma-related events. 

Ann Lowe, Ruby Bridges, Harriet Tubman, and Cassandra Wesley are just a few of the history-making black women Genesis is celebrating throughout the month of February. We explore Black History Month at Genesis through the lens of diversity and inclusion, and we announce the long-awaited opening day of a new Genesis location in South Dallas that will serve their unique needs. And get your calendar ready because you’ll want to make note of the important events coming up in 2022 including Lecture Series, Genesis Annual Luncheon, Conference on Crimes Against Women and much more! Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support joins the show with all this plus special announcements including the celebrity guest that will headline the Genesis Annual Luncheon in April! 

Trauma therapy is constantly evolving and so is the team at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support through an emerging program of new treatment modalities that keep pace with both trauma experiences and responses. This episode explores the work of up-and-coming researcher and doctoral candidate Nadien Albanna whose personal connection to occupational therapy led to her career in that field as well as an internship at Genesis. As a result, Albanna’s doctoral project - “Sensory integration and trauma processing needs for trauma survivors: A new framework for Occupational Therapy” - has enhanced the OT program at Genesis, resulting in improved outcomes for women and children and a potentially replicable program for trauma services beyond Genesis. We hear from Nadien Albanna and Ruth Guerreiro, Senior Director of Clinical Services about the life-changing results of OT at Genesis where trauma survivors are “healing by doing.” 

Recy Taylor, Rosa Parks, Relisha Rudd - more than just names and stories, these are women and girls whose lives were upended by violence. And there are countless other black women and girls who experience similarly horrifying incidents. In this episode we explore the history of violence against black women and girls in America, the lack of services available to them, and the solutions that are necessary to empower them. Dr. Jameta Barlow, community psychologist and assistant professor at The George Washington University presents a brief history of violence against black women and girls in United States - beginning with the story of Recy Taylor and extending to other experiences of slavery and human rights violations against black people in America - that offers a framework for our present reality fraught with systemic failures, barriers to support and increasing violence against women. Dr. Barlow also provides examples of progress in these areas and offers solutions for the future through her strengths-based approach to solving community health problems. Her 2020 article titled, The Forgotten Survivors of Sexual Violence: Black Women and Girls in America, was the impetus for this conversation and it can be found on the website of the American Psychological Association. This episode discusses sexual violence, rape, racism, child abduction and other forms of violence. 

Situational Awareness is the broad idea of understanding your surroundings and how you will respond to them. For many of us, especially women, we are taught about situational awareness through self-defense behaviors- venture out in pairs, hide our keys in our hands, carry pepper spray or a whistle, or take a personal self-defense course. But there is more to the idea of situational awareness than simply protecting oneself. Each of us is equipped with an internal mechanism we might call intuition or our “gut”, that alerts us when something is different, or possibly dangerous. Getting in tune with our own instincts is paramount to preparing for different scenarios and reacting to circumstances. Kelly Sayre, author and training expert, shares her experience with developing situational awareness training, how it supports survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and how each of us can use the skills and senses we are born with to stay sharp, confident and safe.