Trying to keep his head down after breaking the rules as a new Coast Guard officer, Julian is on his best behavior when he is invited to drink with some other officers. Trusting his new friends, he is drugged and raped, floating back to his room in a haze. Julian represses these memories for years, until a class brings old memories to the surface, and he shares his story openly with the instructor, beginning his healing journey. 

Julian Bell is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer with 23 years of service and the founder of Safe Waters, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault and harassment in military communities. During his career, he served as a victim advocate and worked to elevate survivor voices and push for greater accountability within institutional systems. After witnessing the gaps in support for many survivors, he helped build Safe Waters to provide peer connection, resources, and community-centered healing. Julian is now preparing to pursue a graduate degree in counseling psychology so he can continue supporting survivors through trauma-informed care. He lives in California with his wife and children and remains deeply committed to advocacy, healing, and cultural change.

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang