An 11-year-old in the Beaverton School District in Oregon was exposed to pornography during science class at school. You KNOW if it’s happening in one middle school, it’s happening in many, if not most.

This episode is a conversation with the student’s mother. We hear what happened and how the school and school district have responded – spoiler alert – or have NOT responded. We talk about specific ways to address pornography with children.

We discuss the policies, procedures and codes as they are written on the school and school district websites. If the rules were working, the child who brought the pornographic website into the classroom on their phone would not have had their phone hidden in the pencil case. The school district claims to be following protocol. If so, why, two days after this incident, is the same phone back in the classroom? “Increased vigilance” is clearly not working.

I believe the school, school district, families and the community care about the safety of all the children. I also believe our community needs better training about how to handle and talk about pornography with middle schoolers, and let’s add in elementary and high schoolers while we are at it. The landscape is changing. We need to keep up.

Pretending it’s not happening, denial, or dismissing it as simply “inappropriate conduct” means the issue is not being dealt with head-on. Pushing this under the rug is not the answer. Again, the landscape is changing, and all of us who care about kids' safety need to keep up. 

Important Links for Listeners:

Books and Articles:

Sweden’s Answer - article

Book: Good Pictures, Bad Pictures

UNICEF Article: Protection of Children from the Harmful Impacts of Pornography

The Atlantic, Article: What Porn Taught a Generation of Women

Article by the American Academy of Pediatrics: Talking to Your Child About Online Pornography Exposure

Book: “Getting Off: One Woman’s Journey Through Sex and Porn Addiction

Film: Childhood 2.0

Connections:

Connect about classes regarding parental protocols and cellphone safety

Connect with Silvia

Additional Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Folks this is a jaw-dropping self-defense success story! Meet Ashlyn Johnson, a martial artist of many years who uses her skills and experience to help make the world a better place. Here’s Ashlyn’s bio:

Ashlyn Johnson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE

Dr. Johnson is an assistant professor of nursing and a dual-certified family nurse practitioner and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. She maintains clinical practice providing psychiatric services to patients struggling with substance use disorders.  Her service and research agendas focus on mental health and empowerment, particularly related to interpersonal violence, trauma, and resilience. She is currently investigating the relationship between self-defense training, trauma, PTSD symptoms, and resilience. Outside of work, she enjoys tea and a good book, martial arts, travel, and spending time with her 4-year-old daughter.

We’ve got an award-willing guest speaking with us and we’re about to learn a lot about the origins of the women's self-defense movement in the United States. Turn up your volume and put on your thinking cap. Here we go!

Wendy Rouse, among many other things, is a historian who teaches at San Jose State University in CA. She’s a researcher, the author of various articles and several books, and as the program coordinator for the History/Social Science Teacher Preparation Program at SJSU she also mentors other people who want to become educators.

• Wendy’s website:com 

Connect with Silvia

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #herownhero, #wendylrouse, #womensselfdefensehistory

Stephanie Cyr has started an Empowerment Self Defense Program at SFSU that is rolling out in the Fall of 2024! In this episode, she’ll tell us all about it, share a wonderful self-defense success story and so much more. Our wide-ranging conversation covers how great it will be when we can make ESD a standardized course offering in all public schools and how ESD can impact health, along with positivity and lots of hope for the future of this movement.

Stephanie’s Website: www.powerupmoves.com or you can check me out on Connect with Stephanie: On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-cyr-j-d-433274171/ or through Instagram @powerupmoves

Also Mentioned:

PAVE Prevention

ESD Global

The National Women’s Martial Arts Federation

Connect with Silvia

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity

Did you know that complying and playing along are essential tools you already have in your toolkit? It can help us buy time to get help or get to safety. Join host Silvia Smart as she shares how one person “played along” to stop an attempted rape and get to safety.

Our stories are important. YOUR stories are important! Consider sharing your story with me and with my listeners.

Connect with Silvia

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #complying #playingalong #successstory

Host Silvia Smart and author Lauren Taylor discuss this newly released book which is an excellent resource for everyone – those interested in empowerment, in self-defense and instructors of ESD as well. Join Silvia and Lauren as they do some of the exercises in the book and chat about the ins and outs of this fascinating publication worthy of a read!

Connect with Silvia

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Buy “Get Empowered” by Nadia Telsey and Lauren Taylor

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #getempowered

Smart shares one of her favorite success stories in which a person running solo through the woods gets free after an attack from behind.

Connect with Silvia

Special thanks to my editor, Collin Taber (@that2ndtaberkid)

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #emowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #selfdefensesuccessstory, #successstory

There’s a clear uptick in mass shootings across the country leading to lots of fear, confusion, and anguish. Who better to talk to than the FBI? Join me and my guest, Special Agent in Charge of the Portland FBI, Kieran Ramsey.

We discuss how regular people like you and me can help prevent mass shootings and play a role in stopping this disturbing cycle of violence. (Hint: it will not make the news.) We discuss the ins and outs, ups and downs of knowing what to look for, fact versus myth, reporting, planning, preparation, and yes, believe it or not, empowerment!

Many thanks to SAC Ramsey for sharing his experience and wisdom as we negotiate the complex landscape we all live in right now.

Please share this episode far and wide. Together, we can create a kinder and safer world, one relationship at a time. We’ve got this!

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Call 911

Connect with Silvia

Trauma-Informed Active Shooter Trainings with Silvia

Special thanks to my editor, Henry Smart-Denson

Other Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #activeshooter, #fbiportland, #activeshootertraining, #massshooterprevention,

Folks, Florida is on the front lines right now. There are huge safety concerns brought on by the cruel laws, restrictions, rhetoric, and policies of Ron DeSantis and his friends that are affecting many people. Because of this, Equality Florida, along with the NAACP and the League of United Latin American Citizens, have all issued travel advisories for the State of Florida.

I wanted to find out more and am thrilled to introduce you to Brandon Wolf, the Press Secretary of Equality Florida.

In April 2023, Brandon’s organization, Equality Florida warned against traveling to the state of Florida for folks in the LGBTQ+ community saying it could be risky and potentially unsafe. The warning says: “Taken in their totality, Florida’s slate of laws and policies targeting basic freedoms and rights pose a serious risk to the health and safety of those traveling to the state.” 

The League of United Latin American Citizens issued its own warning, saying bluntly: “Traveling to Florida is dangerous.” The advisory goes on to say travel in Florida “can be unsafe for people of color, individuals who speak with an accent, and international travelers,” and people in those groups could face “a heightened risk of harassment, possible detainment, and potential family separation based on racial profiling.”

From the New York Times: The NAACP became the latest to issue a travel advisory to the Sunshine State, warning that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s “aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools” have turned the state into an openly hostile place for people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”

Donation link: 

Equality Florida Website

Equality Florida is on social media everywhere: @equalityFL 

Brandon’s Book is available NOW!

Connect with Silvia

Special thanks to my editor, Henry Smart-Denson

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

Support this important work:

Buy Me a Coffee

Donate through my website

Thank you!

Join “The Empowerment Project” Group on Facebook. For everyone’s safety, please know that if you don’t answer the questions, we will not accept you into the group.

#theempowermentpodcast, #theempowermentproject, #theempowermentpodcastybynaga, #empowermentselfdefense, #selfdefense, #nagacommunity, #equalityflorida