VSC Podcast

Episode 40 of the VSC Podcast is out and it’s all about Toxic Masculinity. Come listen to Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell chat with The Center’s Director Joél Junior Morales and VSC LGBTQ+ Advocate Kevin Fox about gender norms and Toxic Masculinity, how to can look across different cultures and groups as well as perpetuate violence, and how to embrace masculinity in a non-toxic way.

Joél Morales uses he/him pronouns and is the Operations Director for the LGBT+ Center Orlando. Joél is a Certified Trauma Professional who studied medical coding terminology and Case Management. Morales experienced ranges from public health, nonprofit management, project improvement, substance abuse, and relapse prevention. A long-standing community builder through volunteerism, Joel is one of the co-founders for QLatinx, a grassroots racial, social, and gender justice organization dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of Central Florida's LGBTQ+ Latinx community. He continues spearheading efforts to affirm and empower the LGBT+ community and its allies through information, education, advocacy, and support.

Kevin Fox uses he/him pronouns and is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern with the state of Florida. Kevin worked as a high school teacher while receiving his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Rollins College. He has worked with adolescents with substance use issues, Equality Florida for LGBTQ+ rights, and in the UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health counseling and performing therapy with cancer patients and their families. His passion when working with clients is to help them increase their resilience and satisfaction with their everyday lives; he seeks to help clients increase their meaning from life and live more authentically and honestly.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ElnyWaPvDos

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

On Episode 39 of the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with two amazing men from the Trans community, Aaron Mungin and Zander Keig, to talk about the erasure of the Transmasculine identity. Come learn about what that erasure looks like, why it is happening, different aspects of transitioning, and resources for Transmasculine survivors of sexual violence.

Zander Keig uses he/him pronouns and is an award-winning Licensed Clinical Social Worker and public speaker, sought-after workshop facilitator (including WPATH Advanced Behavioral Health Courses), and a long-time trans community organizer.

Aaron Mungin uses he/him pronouns and is a 52 year old African American who began his transition journey 11 years ago. He is an educator, community advocate, and peer mentor. Currently he helps facilitate The Center’s FTM Orlando Group and Spektrum Health’s peer support group. On TDOR (Transgender day of Remembrance) he was honored with an Unsung Heroes Award from Hope and Help.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fkE6ZlyJsIU

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

The Holidays can be a stressful time, especially for survivors of Sexual Violence. That is why this week we are talking about Surviving the Holidays. Join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she sits down with VSC Therapy Intern Suzanne Higbie-Long and VSC Victim Advocate Kevin Fox to talk about their workshop on how to survive the holidays, ways to set boundaries with family and loved ones, and how to advocate for ourselves during this season.

Suzanne Higbie-Long uses she/her pronouns and is a Counselor Intern at Victim Service Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and will graduate from Rollins College with her Masters in Mental Health Counseling this May. Suzanne feels that, along with individual therapy, support groups and group therapy are important pieces in a survivor’s journey. Suzanne is a strong advocate for trauma survivors and believes we need a call to action against rape culture and sexual assault in our society.

Kevin Fox uses he/him pronouns and is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern with the state of Florida. Kevin worked as a high school teacher while receiving his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Rollins College. He has worked with adolescents with substance use issues, Equality Florida for LGBTQ+ rights, and in the UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health counseling and performing therapy with cancer patients and their families. His passion when working with clients is to help them increase their resilience and satisfaction with their everyday lives; he seeks to help clients increase their meaning from life and live more authentically and honestly.

You can listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yL5QxdJ6j34

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

A new episode of the VSC Podcast is out and it’s all about Sexual Assault in the Justice System. VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with the head of the Sex Crimes Unit at the State Attorney’s Office Jenny Rossman and VSC’s Program Director JoEllen Revell to talk about what sexual assault victims and survivors can expect when pursuing sex crime charges and how a Victim Advocate can help survivors through the process.

Jenny Rossman uses she/her pronouns and has been the head of the Sex Crimes Unit at the State Attorney’s Office (Orange and Osceola) since 2017. She was also a sex crimes prosecutor in Miami-Dade county. Jenny and her unit work closely with law enforcement and various community partners to achieve justice for victims and keep the community safe.

JoEllen Revell uses she/her pronouns and is the Victim Service Center Program Director who oversees the Advocacy, Therapy and Forensic Nursing Department. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in clinical and administrative oversight.

You can listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GD-nKx1Phnw

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

On the 36th episode of the VSC Podcast, VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with a UCF professor Dr. Amber Norman and a UCF Master’s student Danielle Simpson-Baker to talk about the BDSM community and Consent. Come learn how partners ensure each other’s safety before, during, and after sexual intimacy.

Dr. Amber Norman uses she/her pronouns and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Visiting Professor at the University of Central Florida. Her clinical practice supports ethnic and sexual minorities, with a specialty in BDSM.

Danielle Simpson-Baker uses she/her pronouns and is a master’s student at UCF pursuing an MA in Marriage and Couple’s Therapy, as well as a certification in sex therapy. She’s also a sex coach, educator and consultant, and you can find some of her work on Instagram @thesexpottherapist.

You can listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cGnsQF8YI_o

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

On the 35th episode of the VSC Podcast, VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with two amazing researchers from UCF: Dr. Jack Ballantyne and Dr. Erin Hanson to talk about the science of forensics and Sexual Assault. Come learn about the process and strategies used to test DNA evidence, what it’s like to be a forensic scientist, and what Dr. Ballantyne’s and Dr. Hanson’s research developments could mean for the future of DNA evidence and Sexual Assault.

Dr. Erin Hanson uses she/her pronouns and is a UCF Research Associate Professor in the Biological Evidence Section of the National Center for Forensic Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She has volunteered with VSC since 2018.

Dr. Jack Ballantyne uses he/him pronouns and is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and an Associate Director of the National Center for Forensic Science in Orlando, Florida. Prior to entering academia, he was a casework forensic scientist in Scotland, Hong Kong and New York. His current research projects include the use of Y chromosome markers for sexual assault investigations, RNA profiling for body fluid and tissue identification, trace DNA analysis including single-cell genomics, and mixture deconvolution.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t0lrjl8bY5w

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is this Friday, November 20th and is a time to honor and memorialize those who have been murdered due to transphobia. On the 34th episode of the VSC Podcast, VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with two amazing Trans women: Equality Florida’s TransAction Project Coordinator Nikole Parker and Peer Support Space Butterfly Talks member Morrighan-Eris Crosmu to talk about violence the Trans Community faces. Come learn about the marginalization of the Trans Community, how we can honor Transgender Day of Remembrance, and how to be a better supporter of the Trans Community.

Nikole Parker uses she/her pronouns and is the TransAction Florida Project Coordinator, assisting with Equality Florida's statewide Transgender Inclusion Initiative. She also currently works for the onePULSE Foundation as the Stakeholder & Community Relations Manager. Nikole has sat on various non-profit boards within the community, including the LGBT+ Center Board of Directors, the Orlando United Assistance Center Advisory Board, TransAction Advisory Council, Spektrum Health Board of Directors and Peer Support Space Board of Directors.

Morrighan-Eris Crosmu uses she/her pronouns and is a transgender woman who has been a regular to Butterfly Talks for quite some time now. Butterfly Talks is a place to build friendships and a sense of community for historically underserved communities within the LGBTQ+ community.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UWHwlCm1Aa4

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

This week is Forensics Nurses Week and in an effort to celebrate and spread awareness of their impact on survivors and victims of sexual assault, the 33rd episode of the VSC Podcast hosts two of VSC’s amazing Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (or SANEs): SANE Coordinator Nancy Moskyok and SANE Nurse Kay Barrington to share their expertise in the field. Come learn about what it’s like to be a SANE, the process of getting a rape kit done, how someone can become a SANE, the challenges in the industry, and the positive impacts SANEs have on helping end sexual violence.

Nancy Moskyok, RN, SANE-A uses she/her pronouns and is the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Coordinator for the Victim Service Center of Orlando covering Orange and Osceola counties.  She has over ten years of experience providing sexual assault exams to clients in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties when activated by the Sexual Assault Response Team protocol. Nancy has a total of twenty seven years as a registered nurse.

Kay Barrington, RN uses she/her pronouns and is one of the certified SANE nurses who works at the VSC. She has been a Registered Nurse since 1975., and has a BS in psychology and a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Kay has worked in many areas of nursing as a clinical, psychiatric, legal nurse consultant, and a SANE at the VSC for 3 yrs. She loves being a Forensic Nurse!

You can listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ICFdjLOQT8Q

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

The VSC hosts support groups for survivors of sexual violence as one of its many free services. On the 32nd episode of the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with National Human Trafficking Speaker and VSC Speaker’s Bureau Member Savannah Parvu and VSC Crisis Counselor and Victim Advocate Tiffany Gutierrez to chat about Support Groups. Come learn about what a support group is, what a virtual survivor meetup could look like, and the benefits of being in a support group as a survivor of sexual violence.

Savannah Parvu uses she/her pronouns and routinely shares her experiences with the public to grow knowledge of the tragic issue of familial trafficking within the commercial sex trafficking arena.  She is a nationally recognized speaker on the subject and has become one of the foremost voices on human trafficking at the State Capitol.

Tiffany Gutierrez uses she/her pronouns and earned her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health counseling from Argosy University in Dallas, Texas and is a registered intern in the state of Florida. Her passion for working with individuals affected by trauma began when she interned at the Collin County Rape Crisis Center, as both an advocate and counselor. Since moving to Florida Tiffany has continued to work with individuals in private practice, as well as working with children in the Seminole County Public Schools system. Tiffany aspires to obtain full licensure as a Mental Health Counselor from the state of Florida in order to continue her work with survivors of traumatic events and better serve the community.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nu7CsLX5Vgs

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

It’s Ace Week which is a time dedicated to spreading awareness and educating on Asexuality! On the 31st episode of the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with UCF’s Lavender Council Member Ava Devine, a UCF employee completing their gender studies certificate Jax Rogero, and VSC’s therapy intern Alexa Andino to talk about Asexuality. Come learn about Asexuality and the many sexualities under the Ace umbrella, common misconceptions surrounding the Ace community, and how we can better support people who identify as Ace.

Jax Rogero uses they/them pronouns, works as an administrative assistant at UCF, and is completing a gender studies certificate. They have one son and frequently uses him as an excuse for a serious cartoon watching habit.

Ava Devine uses they/she pronouns and is a second-year creative writing and French student at UCF. They're a passionate reader, a proud member of Lavender Council, and a full-time cat mom. In her free time, Ava loves to watch movies and care for her Animal Crossing village.

Alexa Andino uses she/her pronouns and is our therapy intern here at VSC. Alexa identifies as Asexual and is a master student pursuing her degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Alexa hopes to graduate in December of 2020 and work as Registered Mental Health Counselor intern and advocate for sexual abuse survivors and the LGBTQIA+ community.

You can also listen to this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MnYFIXPpB9o

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.